Women drivers closing mileage gap with men

Women drivers closing mileage gap with men

In the past 50 years, the average annual distance driven by men rose by one-third, but for women, the increase was a whopping 89 percent. In the 1960s, the average male drove more than twice the distance of the average female; today, men drive 15,000 miles on average and women drive 10,000 miles. Figures are from a new study by the University of Michigan.

Women now make up 51 percent of drivers. Previous research has found that the percentage of car buyers who are women or influenced by women in their choice of make and model is much higher.

Gender trends in driver licenses will affect vehicle demand, energy consumption and road safety, said Michael Sivak, a research professor at the university. –Compared to males, females are more likely to purchase smaller, safer and more fuel-efficient vehicles than males.” Women also drive less and tend to have a lower death rate per distance driven.