The statistics are clear: women are not only less likely to be involved in fatal or serious accidents, but are also less likely to be convicted or receive tickets for dangerous driving than men.
Women are less exposed to the risk of road accidents than men, representing a third of victims who were seriously injured and killed. 29% of victims were female in 2018 and 33% in 2017. In 2018, for example, there were 90 women and 219 men among those killed and seriously injured.
When analysing the statistics, drivers are shown to be more exposed to danger. Men, who represent 80% of drivers on two-wheeled vehicles, are more exposed, while female pedestrians are more at risk than men.
Men are frequently more responsible for accidents than women - from 2010 to 2018, 78% of serious or fatal accidents were caused by men. The main causes of accidents, such as excessive speeding or intoxication, are more likely to be ascribed to men, who are also more likely to partake in dangerous behaviour such as not complying with safe distances.
Speeding, excessive alcohol consumption, driving while on the phone, are the most frequently observed risk behaviours. Although the police do not break figures down by gender on the reports drawn up when there is no accident, participation in training courses for the recovery of points on the driving license gives a good indication of the behaviour of drivers.
The overwhelming majority, 88% in 2018, of the participants in these recovery courses are men. This is even more obvious for compulsory internships for those who have lost all their points: 93% are men.
In conclusion, women appear to be less involved in serious accidents than men because they take fewer risks. Statistically, female drivers tend to be more careful, more responsible and more respectful of other users. Conversely, men are more likely to put faults into perspective and seem to be less aware of the dangers especially in terms of speed.
