QCOSTARICA – Are men better drivers than women? Many seem to think so, but a famous insurance company got behind the wheel and took on the task of confirming whether this is true or total BS.
According to Acierto.com, an independent insurance comparator of insurance companies in different countries, based on the compilation of its data of the accident rate of both sexes, women have fewer accidents than men.
Of course, they are affected by a greater number of distractions behind the wheel, and are more forgetful in car maintenance.
“They (women) are more responsible behind the wheel and are involved in fewer traffic accidents,” concludes the report. “However, are affected by a greater number of distractions behind the wheel, and are more forgetful in car maintenance.”
In terms of accidents, Acierto.com reveals that age and not sex is decisive.
Young people between 18 and 23 years old are the worst. Because although they present half the number of people over 65 years of age, the severity of their traffic accidents is higher, so that compensation for deaths and personal injuries from accidents caused by young drivers is statistically much higher than the of any other age group. This is also why their insurance premiums tend to be more expensive.
The report data is collected from a sample of 1,143,975 drivers aged 18 to 97 years, 829,020 men and 314,955 women.
Wome drivers in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, Yorleny Díaz is a perfect example that women can be excellent drivers. She is a resident of Aserrí and makes a living driving school buses.
Yorleny spoke to La Teja. “I have been driving for 30 years and the only accident I have had was a few weeks ago when I was parked and an ICE truck that passed by me when one its doors opened, but we already fixed the damage and they will pay.
“My job requires a lot of care and responsibility because I am dedicated to transporting students. In addition, I drive large minibuses and it is very different from driving small cars,” she explained in great detail.
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Yorleny assures that the difference in driving between men and women is that they, the women, are more careful and cautious, in addition, they do not fight as much on the street as many (male) drivers who end up in fistfights.
Yorleny is referring to the story that made the headlines last week when a truck driver assaulted another driver on the Autopista General Cañas. See story Pandemic exacerbated aggressiveness in Costa Rica’s roads
“It’s funny, maybe because normally I drive big vehicles, few people say negative things to me, rather they tell what a job it must be to drive minibuses or things like that, although there is never any shortage of male chauvinists, recently it happened to me that I had to go through a narrow bridge and a (male) driver crossed my car and did not feel like moving, it cost me the world to get out of there in reverse,” recalled Yorleny.
Men are less courteous. Manuel Camacho is a retired traffic official working the streets in Costa Rica for 36 years.
He agrees with Yorleny when he says that women are less risky than men and assures that during his years of service most of the women he wrote up were due to disrespect for the demarcation, for driving without a license, carrying children in the seat in the passenger front and use the cell phone while driving.
For their part, the men were written up for many fines for disregarding traffic lights, overtaking improperly, and making improper and dangerous maneuvers.
“When you write someone a ticket, they usually get upset, nobody has enough money to pay fines. Men are more aggressive (with the officials), while women try to appeal to their feelings and try to persuade you by saying that they have many responsibilities and please give them a chance,” he stressed.
Data from the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (Cosevi) – Road Safety Council – shows that during the past year 353,968 traffic tickets were given to men, while 39,606 were to women.
The reasons for the difference was not specified
According to the Cosevi website, in Costa Rica, there are 1,641,327 licensed drivers, of which 1,148,258 are men and 493,069 women.
