Who are better drivers: men or women?

Women are bad drivers…Right? At least that’s how the old adage goes, but let’s take a look at the facts. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, while 50% of licensed drivers were men, 57% were involved in crashes of all types in 2010. When these accidents ended fatally, the percentage involving male drivers jumped to 73%.(1)

Insurance companies appear to take the riskier behavior exhibited by men into consideration when determining insurance rates. For example, a comparison of the average annual premium paid by two drivers, where the only difference between them was gender, yielded different results:

We’re sorry for the bad news guys, but here’s the good news. While you obviously can’t change your gender, there are things you can do to reduce your insurance premium.

• Drive safely. Prove that you are a safe driver by maintaining a clean driving record.
• Take care of your credit. Insurance companies often consider a credit-based insurance score when calculating rates. Managing your credit may help to keep your rates down.
• Don’t drive a sports / muscle car that may tempt your lead foot. You’ll pay for it.
• Check your insurance rates regularly to see if they have gone down. Even if you must drive that muscle car at breakneck speeds while swerving in and out of heavy traffic, it’s worth shopping around to try finding a lower rate. No single insurance company can best serve every driver. And, each driver’s needs change over time, which can affect your rate.

So after reviewing the facts, should we conclude that women are better drivers? That’s probably a subjective claim, but at the very least they are recognized as safer drivers. March 8th is International Women’s Day. So let’s celebrate their safe driving (and lower insurance premiums). And remember, whether male or female, Answer Financial is here to help you save. We represent more than 20 insurance companies to give you one place to compare rates and buy auto insurance easily. Check your rates today.

References:

⁽¹⁾ Traffic Safety Facts 2010: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System. Report published by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington D.C. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811659.pdf

⁽²⁾ All premiums shown are for personal auto insurance products. Each carrier represented has full financial responsibility for the products it offers. The hypothetical examples are in no way an official recommendation of a particular insurer, nor is it an exclusive list of the carriers available through Answer Financial. Premiums are based on the automobile premium survey results posted on:

•  (a) the California Department of Insurance website for rates effective as of March 8, 2013, and for the following selections for each scenario: (1) coverage type = standard, (2) location = Sacramento, Southgate, (3) years licensed = 9 to 15, (4) annual mileage = 12,600 to 15,000, (5) driving record = no violations or accidents, (6) vehicle = Honda Accord, and (7) Insurance for = both “Male” and “Female” options.
• (b) the Texas Department of Insurance website for rates effective as of March 8, 2013, and for the following selections for each scenario: (1) coverage limits = 30/60/25, (2) county & ZIP code = Houston 75835, (3) Age = Under Age 25, (4) your auto = truck, (5) marital status = single, (6) how you use = to & from work, (7) driving record = no violations,(8) credit rating = average, (9) Insurance for = both “Male” and “Female” options.