Men are more confident drivers than women but cause the most serious crashes, research suggests

Men are more confident behind the wheel than women but cause the most serious crashes, according to new research.

A study of 2,000 motorists found 86 per cent of men feel safe driving, compared with 78 per cent of women. 

But Department for Transport figures show men were involved in 76 per cent of road deaths last year and 61 per cent of casualties of all severities. 

The findings reignite the long-running row over which sex is the better driver.

Women are more likely to doubt themselves, yet are also more likely to pass their driving tests.

Between January and March this year, 48 per cent of female candidates passed their test compared with 44 per cent of men.

Men also remain far more self-assured with seven in ten men saying they would pass their test again tomorrow, compared with 58 per cent of women. 

The study found 86 per cent of men feel safe driving, compared to only 78 per cent of women. Pictured: Stock image

Confidence also diverges in poor conditions: just 20 per cent of men feel unsafe driving in bad weather, compared with 39 per cent of women.

That confidence – or overconfidence – may help explain the gulf in crash statistics. There were 1,633 road deaths recorded last year, up from 1,624 the year before. 

John Kushnick, of National Accident Helpline, told the Times: ‘This isn’t about blame – it’s about recognising a dangerous blind spot in how we approach road safety.’

Some will argue men simply drive more miles, though there are no definitive national figures to confirm who spends longer on the road. 

A 2022 study by the US Department of Transportation found that men drive far more each year than women, around 16,550 miles annually compared with 10,142. 

If driver numbers were split evenly between the sexes, that would mean men account for roughly 62 per cent of all miles driven and women 38 per cent.

Set against the UK data, where men are involved in 61 per cent of all road traffic accidents, it suggests that, mile for mile, male drivers may be slightly safer.