Skip to main content

Men more likely to pass UK driving test than women, says IAM research

British men are 6.4% more likely than British women to pass their practical driving test, according to road safety charity the IAM. But while young men are more likely to pass their driving test, they are also three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured (KSI) behind the wheel. The IAM findings are a result of analysing pass rates statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) published in August 2012 for the financial year 2011-2012.
September 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
British men are 6.4% more likely than British women to pass their practical driving test, according to road safety charity the IAM. But while young men are more likely to pass their driving test, they are also three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured (KSI) behind the wheel.

The IAM findings are a result of analysing pass rates statistics from the 5432 Department for Transport (DfT) published in August 2012 for the financial year 2011-2012.

For example, the pass rate for men in Bradford (Heaton) is 39%, compared to 26 per cent for women. In 2010 in Bradford, 22 young male drivers were killed or seriously injured in car accidents, while just four young female drivers were.

Other areas which reported a significantly high gender gap for test passes were Wolverhampton, where men are 12.6 per cent more likely to pass their test. In 2010, 13 young male drivers and one woman were involved in KSI crashes. 

In Birmingham (South Yardley) men are 12.6% more likely to pass their test, while there were 38 young male drivers from Birmingham in KSI incidents in 2010, and six young female drivers.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “As men make up the majority of drivers, a slight variation in figures can be expected. However, these figures suggest something is going wrong with the way we teach new drivers to cope with risk on the road. Unless we can crack the gender problem in road safety, young men will continue to die in higher numbers.

"These findings must be used to inform research to find out why pass rates and causes of fatal car accidents vary so much between men and women."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Improved UK road safety required
    July 19, 2012
    Recent increases in road fatalities should be a wake-up call for the UK Government to step up and provide stronger leadership on road safety, say members of parliament in a report examining the Government's Strategic Framework for Road Safety.
  • IAM’s FOI reveals England and Wales’ worst speeding offenders
    May 28, 2014
    A motorist travelling at 149mph (239.8kph) on the M25 at Swanley, Kent, south-east England, holds the record for the highest speed clocked by a speed camera in England and Wales between April 2013 and May 2014. The astonishing figure was revealed following Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 39 police authorities by the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists). Other shocking figures from the 85% of police authorities that responded to the FOI request revealed that the highest speed recorded on a 30mph
  • Drowsy driving dangers for road users
    November 2, 2018
    Up to 25% of fatal road crashes in the UK are caused by drowsy driving. This is the result of research carried out jointly by the AA Charitable Trust. The research suggests that men and young drivers are most likely to be at risk from drowsy driving. Meanwhile the research shows that 13% of UK drivers admit falling asleep at the wheel. And 37% say they have been so tired they have been scared they would fall asleep when driving. The latest road casualty statistics show drowsy drivers contributed to 53 fat
  • Telematics-based insurance is improving road safety among young drivers
    May 15, 2012
    New data from The Co-operative Insurance in the UK says that new data shows that the introduction of telematics technology is leading to better driving behaviour from Britain's young road users. Intelligence gathered from the company’s 'smartbox' scheme shows that 35 per cent are consistently showing 'excellent' driving while less than five per cent demonstrate 'poor' driving habits.