Gender and Age Gap
Despite being stereotyped as “bad drivers,” research validates that women may actually be the safer and more cautious behind the wheel. Men have a 77% higher risk of dying in a fatal car accident compared to women, but we found men were more than five times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents related to speeding.
This guide tracks the changes in driving speeds and the likelihood of being involved in a deadly speeding-related collision in 2017:
- Drivers between the ages of 15 and 19: Teenage males involved in fatal accidents in this age group were typically traveling at an average of more than 61 mph, compared to females traveling at less than 56 mph. Teen males were also four times as likely to die in speeding-related collisions than teen females.
- Drivers between the ages of 20 and 29: In 2017, the highest average speed associated with fatal accidents — nearly 62 mph — was attributed to male drivers between the ages of 20 and 29. At this age, more than 7.5 men between 20- and 29-years-old out of every 100,000 died in motor vehicle accidents with a speeding driver.
- Drivers between the ages of 30 and 39: The speed at which deadly accidents happen began to decrease at these ages for men, averaging less than 58 mph.
- Drivers between the ages of 40 and 49: The number of fatal collisions fell to the lowest per capita rate for both men and women between these ages. According to the data, the average driver is getting safer at this stage for the first time in their life.
- Drivers between the ages of 50 and 59: For the first time, both men and women involved in fatal accidents averaged speeds under 50 mph at the time of their crashes.
- Drivers between the ages of 60 and 69: Men were still more than six times more likely to be involved in speed-related fatalities between the ages of 60 and 69.
- Drivers 70 and over: For women, there was no change in the likelihood of being involved in a crash during their 70’s when compared to women in their 60s