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Between 1975 and 2019, the per capita fatality rate for men in car accidents was more than double that of women every year, according to statistics. Male drivers were responsible for around 71 percent of passenger automobile deaths in 2019, and male passengers accounted for 48 percent of those killed.
Why Do Men Get Into Car Accidents More Often Than Women?
Several factors make more men likely to get into car accidents than women. Some of these reasons are as follows:
#1. Driving Under the Influence
It is no longer news that driving while intoxicated can result in accidents. According to statistics released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, male drivers are more likely than female drivers to die in DUI (Driving Under the Influence) accidents. The outcome of their data shows that men died at a rate of 5.2 per 100,000, while women died at 1.5 per 100,000.
In addition, male drivers received almost 625,000 DUIs in 2017, compared to 162,000 for female drivers. As a result, men are more inclined than women to drink excessively or be on drugs, putting them at risk for fatal incidents.
#2. Men Travel Farther than Women.
An average man drives 16,550 miles per year, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The average woman drives 10,142 miles meaning that women drive fewer miles than males and hence have less experience with the perils of the roads. On the other hand, men drive more miles and thus have increased chances of being involved in an accident.
#3. Men are more likely to Engage in Risky Behavior.
Men are more likely than women to drive carelessly. According to car accident statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), male drivers are responsible for six million car accidents each year. In contrast, female drivers are responsible for 4.4 million.
The cause, according to experts at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), is due to men’s unsafe driving habits. High speeding, not wearing seat belts, texting while driving, and other dangerous behaviors are among them.
What Age Group Has the Highest Risk of Dying in a Car Accident, and Why?
According to statistics, male drivers are more likely than female drivers to be killed in car accidents. Male teenagers who have just received their driver’s license and who are driving with younger passengers, on the other hand, are thought to be at a higher danger level of dying in a car accident.
Male Teens’ Risk Factors
Some of the risk factors that put male teenagers in danger of dying in car accidents are listed below:
- Inexperience: Teenagers have less experience than adult drivers and may be unable to spot unsafe circumstances. Car accidents can be fatal if you cannot recognize dangers or make the appropriate decisions while driving.
- Late Night Driving: Late night driving is allegedly more dangerous than daytime driving, regardless of age. According to research, teenagers aged 16 to 19 were nearly three times more likely to be involved in nighttime accidents than adult drivers aged 30 to 59. This data is from the National Household Travel Survey from 2016 to 2017.
- Not Wearing Seat Belts: Teenagers and young adults have the lowest seat belt use rates compared to other older age groups.
- Distracted Driving: Distracted driving has a detrimental impact on all drivers, but it is mainly risky for inexperienced young people. Teenagers are known to be easily distracted while driving. These distractions like taking up the phone for calls or texting can cause serious accidents.
- Speeding: Teenagers are more prone than older drivers to drive at quicker speeds and shorter headways.
- Driving under the influence: For teenage drivers involved in fatal car accidents, alcohol use is one of the contributing factors and is more prevalent among male teens than female teens. Also, Driving under the influence of intoxicating substances like marijuana and other illegal narcotics negatively affects safe driving skills, making individuals more prone to accidents.
Ways of Reducing Car Accident Fatality
When driving on the road, there are always things you can do to keep yourself and others safe. Personal injury attorney Lawrence Buckfire shares his tips for safer driving. Among them are the following:
- Avoid distractions of any kind while driving
- Make sure you and everyone else in your vehicle buckle up with seat belts
- Avoid driving while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances
- Avoid Tailgating
- Parents or guardians should always teach teenagers to drive safely. Proper teaching will allow them to grasp the fundamentals of driving and apply them effectively while driving with little or no supervision
- Constantly monitor your driving speed
What to Do After a Car Accident?
After a car accident, the first thing to do is switch on the hazard lights and come to a complete stop when it is safe. Then, if possible, you move your vehicle to the side of the road, away from traffic. Then check on yourself first and then on others to make sure everyone is in good shape.
If there is any injury sustained, you should call an ambulance. Then call the cops, and while you are waiting for them to arrive, carefully snap images of the incident without putting yourself at risk. Finally, you contact your insurance company for guidance on the next thing after acquiring the appropriate documentation.
If the car accident is due to another’s negligence, you may want to file a claim. In that case, you will need the expertise of a personal injury lawyer to handle the entire process.
Conclusion
The road to rehabilitation after an accident is not always a smooth one. Regardless of the gender who gets involved the most in a car accident, the life of everyone matters. Thus it is always best to prevent car accidents because the final result can be traumatizing.
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