DRIVING ABOUT 5 TIMES AS RISKY FOR MEN

Data from British Columbia and across Canada shows that men are more frequently the victims of fatalities in vehicular accidents than women by a ratio of nearly five to one. Safety advocates think they might need to focus informational campaigns at younger males in order to reduce the death toll. In 2012, two dozen women and 121 men reportedly lost their lives in British Columbia car accidents.

While the number of overall deaths is dropping, the gender gap is increasing. In 2008, the ratio stood at about 3.5 to one. One veteran traffic officer was not surprised when he heard the data. He said that he had detained dozens of vehicles because of speeding drivers, but the person behind the wheel was never a woman. He believes that men are generally risky drivers and agrees they should be the target of a focused campaign to help keep them safe.

He also encouraged the enforcement of financial sanctions, which can be as much as $2,000 after fines, towing, impound fees and insurance spikes. He added that drivers are always surprised when they find out their car will be confiscated for a week. A physician with the British Columbia Research and Prevention Unit explained that men fall victim to deadly accidents in every area possibly due to their thought processes. The part of the brain that handles decision-making abilities is not as developed in young men as it is in women, which means they might not understand the consequences of erratic actions.

Negligent behaviours or excessive speeds behind the wheel can easily lead to an accident resulting in a serious injury or fatality. A personal injury lawyer might file a lawsuit on behalf of a plaintiff to hold the responsible party accountable.

Source: The Province, “Male drivers far more likely to die in an accident than females at the wheel, ICBC statistics show”, SUSAN LAZARUK, June 23, 2014