Ouch. And all these years I thought I was a better driver than the blinder wearing cattle I pass on the freeway. Apparently not, according to a study that declares women better drivers. Jalopnik, of course, denotes that while the difference is obvious to us, the press doesn't do a good job distinguishing "skill" from "safe". So of course I still think I'm a better driver even though I'm 77% more likely to die in a freeway collision than Ms. No-look-lane-change-Excursion. (huh, I woulda thought my car type alone puts the odds against me more than that) And of course the old explanation is that men are more likely to do stupid things which Jalopnik commented "is sort of like announcing that water is wet."
I don't need to go dig up one of those studies that examines risk taking behavior do I? You remember all about how they're displays of strength and daring designed to gain the attention and respect of our PEERS and womenfolk. Its hardwired. Now, don't get highway deaths all mixed up with this risk taking behavior excuse, cause that's not the cause in the highest fatality group. Old women are less able to survive the crashes they create. So they take the title followed closely by males aged 16-23 years who obviously are taking risks.
But I have trouble taking the findings here seriously. I mean, they concluded that the safest time to be on the road (based on deaths per mile) is during morning rush hour. No crap. Its safer in a parking lot than on a highway; but I want to be on a highway. I'd like to see this study redone with average travel time factored in. I mean, sure women may be safer drivers, but I bet we'd all be safer drivers if we were pedestrians. Lets not forget that while some chick may just be bobbing her head to Melissa Ethridge while we're parked in traffic, I'm being killed by the stress and inefficiency.
But lets be serious. The point of cars is not safety. They are inherently unsafe devices. The point is to increase our mobility and reduce our travel time. We need to live in the boondocks and drive 40 miles to work every day and we've accepted that 43,000 people need to die every year to achieve this goal.
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