University of Michigan Study Explores Gender Differences in Driving Time

A study conducted at the Transportation Research Institute at the University of Michigan found that women now outnumber men as licensed drivers in the United States. But men still account for a majority of all miles driven on American roadways by a significant, albeit declining, margin.

The university study reports that a half century ago, men made up 60 percent of all licensed drivers, compared to just under 50 percent today. Fifty years ago men were at the wheel for 76 percent of all miles driven on American roadways. Today the figure is 59 percent.

The authors of the study report, “The observed gender trends in driver licensing will likely have major implications on the extent and nature of vehicle demand, energy consumption and road safety. This is the case because females are more likely than males to purchase smaller, safer and more fuel-efficient vehicles than males. They also drive less and tend to have a lower fatality rate per distance driven.”