When you look at car accident trends, you can sort these statistics by gender. What you find is that men are involved in vastly more fatal car accidents than women. This suggests that they cause more of these accidents, and it is also certainly true that more men lose their lives in these crashes annually.
Why is this? There are actually a lot of different reasons that all work together to influence the statistics.
Driving more miles
For one thing, men drive more miles every year than women. This means that they are simply facing a higher level of exposure to risks on the road. Even if both genders were identically proficient as drivers, men would be involved in more accidents.
Risky driving behaviors
Additionally, men are more likely to take risks behind the wheel. They may be more likely to get involved with street racing, for instance, or simply to excessively break the speed limit. They may also be less likely to use their seatbelts while driving. So it is not just exposure alone that increases their odds of a fatal accident.
Higher levels of impaired driving
Finally, it’s very clear that impaired driving is a major cause of car accidents in the United States. This impairment can come from prescription medications, illegal drugs and many other sources. It most often comes from alcohol, however, and men are more likely to drive after they’ve been drinking than women.
What are your options after an injury?
Regardless of your gender, you do have to share the road with risky and negligent drivers every day. If one of them causes a crash that injures you, you need to know how to seek fair financial compensation for your losses and the harm you have suffered.