Insurers have known for a long time that women are better drivers.
Men lead in accidents of all types, from fatal crashes to minor fender benders
Men, maybe it’s time to hand the keys to the women. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we’d all be a little safer if you rode shotgun more often—or, um, permanently.
I know it’s a hard truth to accept; you’ve prided yourself on your superior driving ability. You’ve even joked with the guys about your wife’s highway white-knuckling. Well, perhaps your wife’s caution is what distinguishes safe highway behavior from your never-met-a-lane-I-liked antics.
Insurers have known that men are a more erratic behind the wheel for a long time. That’s why they typically charge men more for insurance. Insurers don’t have a stake in the gender war: they simply want to price risk as accurately as they can. Doing so enables them to keep rates low for everyone, men included.
Sex of drivers involved in crashes
Fatal crashes
| Male | Female | |||
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | |
| 2005 | 42, 947 | 42.84 | 14, 967 | 14.92 |
| 2006 | 41, 912 | 41.49 | 14, 661 | 14.43 |
Injury crashes
| Male | Female | |||
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | |
| 2005 | 1,836,711 | 1,832 | 1,425,161 | 1,421 |
| 2006 | 1,762,552 | 1,745 | 1,387,324 | 1,366 |
Property damage-only crashes
| Male | Female | |||
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | |
| 2005 | 4,357,188 | 4,347 | 3,007,038 | 2,998 |
| 2006 | 4,232,184 | 4,190 | 2,967,964 | 2,922 |