Who are safer riders? Gender differences in motorcycle safety

Research shows women in general are safer drivers than men. When it comes to motorcycle safety, this may mean females experience fewer motorcycle accidents than males.

Since the 1900s, motorcycling has typically been a male-dominated pastime, according to the MotorEagles® motorcycle attorneys. However, more and more women are hitting the open road on two wheels with one in every 10 riders being female, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

And as more women take to motorcycling, they are also beginning to identify themselves as safer riders than men. According to a poll by MetLife Insurance, more than 50 percent of females believe they are less aggressive and more law-abiding than males. And, believe it or not, the evidence isn’t that far off.

Research from Quality Planning, a research firm that works for insurance companies, shows women in general are safer drivers than men. Men are 3.4 times more likely to get a ticket for reckless driving and 3.1 times more likely to be cited for drunken driving. When it comes to motorcycle safety, this may translate into fewer motorcycle accidents for women.

Although men are seven times more likely to take a ride on their motorcycle than women, they are also 15 times more likely get into a motorcycle accident, statistics show. In fact, 65 percent of the females who died in motorcycle wrecks in 2009 were passengers, while 99 percent of males who died were drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported. This may be due to the fact that more women receive enhanced training, like proficiency motorcycle safety courses and advanced rider development training after they pass their motorcycle test.

Women are more likely to complete a motorcycle safety course and tend to be more educated about their motorcycles. According to Nationwide Insurance, about one-third of female riders have completed a certified motorcycle safety course, which is significantly higher than the number of male motorcycle riders.

“I learned techniques that will save my skin when I’m riding on the street,” said Erin Roski, a 21-year-old UCLA law student. “It’s good to know that if I do ride a motorcycle, there are ways to avoid a major wipeout. And if nothing else, it’s good to prove that women can ride just as well as the guys.”

Another study by the Society of Judgment and Decision Making (SJDM) also found that when it comes to risk-taking, men generally engage in riskier behaviors than women, such as riding a motorcycle without a helmet. And men don’t disagree. According to the poll by MetLife, when asked who is safer on the road, 35 percent of men didn’t know which gender to choose.

But being a high-risk driver isn’t cheap and men are definitely paying the price. Nationwide confirmed women riders have fewer motorcycle accident claims than men and motorcycle insurance rates are lower for women as a result.

So what does all of this mean? Data proves the general profile of today’s motorcycle rider has been changing over the years as more women take to the open road, the motorcycle attorneys at MotorEagles® have said. Motorcycle riders are more affluent, better educated and more cautious than ever before, with female riders on the leading edge of these statistics, according to the study About Women & Marketing.

And about that age-old stereotype about women being bad drivers – well, while there’s no evidence that either gender are ‘better’ motorcycle riders, women are certainly safer based on data from miles driven.

Who do you think is safer on the road? Share your thoughts with our motorcycle crash lawyers by commenting on our MotorEagles® blog, Facebook or Twitter. You can also take our current poll to cast your vote.

MotorEagles® – your official one-stop spot for nationwide motorcycle safety and motorcycle accident lawyers who actually ride!

Tags: gender, men vs women, motorcycle accidents, motorcycle attorneys, motorcycle crash lawyer, motorcycle safety, motorcycle wrecks, safer riders

This entry was posted on Friday, October 28th, 2011 at 11:22 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.