Study shows that women outnumber men on US roads for the first time in history

We have come a very long way from the antiquated opinion that some men used to hold – that of women’s sub-par driving abilities. If the latest number is any indication, it seems like women have taken over the streets! According to a study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, women drivers outnumber men on US roads, for the first time in automotive history. The researchers used data from driver’s license statistics and found that between 1995 and 2010 the share of men aged 25 to 29 years old with driver’s licenses dropped 10.6 percent, while the share of women of the same age with driver’s licenses declined by only about 4.7 percent. By 2010, 105.7 million women had licenses, compared with 104.3 million men. The researchers claim that this study can have huge implications on how automakers will market and sell cars. Besides, it is also expected to have safety and economic implications as well. This is because related research shows that women are more likely than men to purchase smaller, more fuel-efficient cars and to drive less. The researchers are sure that the study will impact everything from car design to highway fatality rates.


This study by a group of researchers at University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute claims that the changing demographics may have something to do with increased Internet usage. The percentage of young drivers was inversely related to the availability of the Internet, which could mean that virtual contact reduces the need for physical contact.

[Autoblog]