Is it true that men understand how to drive a car better than women?
Drivemates will definitely agree that the way to drive a car safely is to be responsible and always prioritize safety. However, until now there is still one thing that is still being debated: who is more skilled at driving, men or women?
Stereotypes circulating say that men are better at driving cars than women. However, is this stereotype a fact or just a myth?
Men Are More Confident When Driving
According to a survey conducted by an insurance company from the United States, around 82% of men surveyed said that they felt very confident in their driving abilities. On the other hand, only 74% of female drivers feel confident.
Similar to these data, a report from UCLA found that novice male drivers were more confident than novice female drivers, even though both obtained the same scores at driving school.
The high self-confidence of male drivers is allegedly the reason why they do not hesitate to take risks when driving. This could most likely lead to unsafe driving, leading to a fatal accident.
Female Drivers Prefer Safe
From the previous point, it can be seen that female drivers are not as PD as male drivers. Even so, women's driving methods tend to be safer than men's. They are more careful about driving safety details, such as wearing a seat belt and driving within safe speed limits.
Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that male drivers tend to have more traffic accidents. From 1975-2017, the number of deaths due to male drivers was more than twice the number of deaths due to female drivers.
However, a study conducted by the University of Virginia found that women were 73% more likely to be seriously injured in a car accident than men—even when both were wearing seatbelts.
So, Do Men Know How to Drive a Car Better Than Women?
Then, can it be concluded from this data that the stereotype is that men know more about how to drive a car than women? There is no definite answer.
Because, there are many factors that influence a person's driving skills, and are not only limited to gender. A simple example is the driving time factor. An article in the Journal of Sleep Research found that both male and female drivers are at equal risk when driving at night.
There is also the flying hour factor. The way someone who has been behind the wheel for a long time drives a car will definitely be different from someone who has just learned to drive. Drivemate also cannot ignore external factors such as weather and road conditions. Driving on a damaged road during heavy rain is clearly not the same as driving on a freeway when the weather is sunny.
In other words, gender is not an absolute factor that determines a person's understanding of how to drive a car safely and responsibly.
Always Drive Safely
Regardless of gender, it is natural for driving to be done with safety in mind. Because, on the road, you are not only responsible for your own safety, but also other road users.
Always wear a seat belt, drive within safe speed limits, and obey traffic signs. Remember, prioritize safety—not speed—because you are driving on public roads, not a car racing arena.
From this, it can be concluded that the way you drive a car is not completely influenced by gender. Male drivers tend to be more confident, while female drivers tend to be more careful. However, there are many other factors that influence car driving skills, such as flying hours and physical condition. It all depends on the individuality of each driver when driving the car.
The way you drive a car is also influenced by external factors, one of which is the condition of the car's tires. Driving a car with worn tires clearly requires better steering control. For this reason, always check the condition of your car tires before driving, especially when the Drivemate is going on a long journey. Don't forget, choose quality car tires such as OEM tires from Dunlop and check out car maintenance tips on Dunlop Instagram.