It’s official! Ireland’s female drivers are better than their male counterparts, study finds.
It’s been a much-debated topic about who is the better driver, men or women? Well, wonder no more as an official study finds that Irish women are better drivers than Irish men.
According to new analysis conducted by Dublin-based insurance broker MissQuote.ie, female drivers on the Emerald Isle are safer motorists than men.
So, girls, next time you get into a debate with your significant other, brother, father, or friend about whether men or women are the better drivers, you can use this official data to back up your argument.
An official study – factors considered
The study conducted by MissQuote.ie considered a number of factors, including the number of road accidents and resulting fatalities, as well as the number of penalty points given out to both male and female drivers.
Over the past decade, figures show that female drivers in Ireland have been on the receiving end of half the number of penalty points compared to their male counterparts – and that is only one factor in the study that finds that Irish women are better drivers than Irish men.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), men in Ireland received a total of 34,431 penalty points between January and April 2020, while women received only 16,587.
Reasons for penalty points – driving offences
Penalty points are designed to encourage safe driving practices in order to reduce injuries and fatalities as a result of road traffic accidents.
Statistics find that two of the most common reasons penalty points are given out in Ireland are for phone use while driving and speeding.
Experts revealed the finding that Irish women are better drivers than Irish men.
Deirdre McCarthy from CFM stated, “Whether you’re male or female, employing safe driving behaviour on our roads is absolutely crucial, and incurring penalty points will hit you financially when it comes to renewing your car insurance policy.”
An unfair bias – driving test statistics
Despite the recent finding that Irish women are better drivers than Irish men, women in Ireland are much more likely to fail their driving test.
According to statistics from 2019, just 51% of women passed the test compared to 57% of men.
The Irish Daily Mail notes that, due to the findings, analysts suspect “an unconscious bias” against women may be at play, and calls have been made for more female driving examiners.
Explaining the impact of incurring penalty points, McCarthy stated, “Depending on the insurer, points could typically cost you up to €250 extra in premiums, while other insurers simply won’t quote for drivers who have more than a certain number of points.
“Motorists are rewarded for good driving behaviour by way of lower premiums for No Claim Bonus discounts and not having penalty points.”
