Women may be better drivers than men

LONDON: Women are less likely to be distracted while driving than men, according to a study which debunks stereotypes about ladies being bad drivers.

Researchers suggested that young men and extroverted or neurotic people are more prone to distraction.

Ole Johansson, from the Institute of Transport Economics in Norway, surveyed a large group of high-school students and a group of adults.

The surveys covered a variety of topics, including the frequency and type of distractions the participants experience during driving, their attitudes and intentions around driver distractions, and their personalities.

“I found that young men were among the most likely to report distraction,” said Johansson in the study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

“Others more prone to distraction include those who drive often, and those with neurotic and extroverted personalities,” said Johansson.

People who felt that distracted driving was more socially acceptable, or that it was largely beyond their control, were also more likely to report distracted driving.

“Tailored interventions to reduce driver distraction could focus on at-risk groups, such as young males with bad attitudes to distracted driving and a low belief that they can control their distraction,” he said. PTI