Men or Women: Who Is The Better Driver?

Firstly, do Cape Townians drive better than their Johannesburg counterparts, and secondly, are women better drivers than men?

After much debate, Discovery Insurance recently released a report detailing which province boasted the best and worst drivers in South Africa. If you are unhappy with your car insurance premium and think you may be being ripped off, do our 5-minute car insurance comparison below.

According to the report, Cape Town drivers come out on top with Port Elizabeth coming in second, while Joburg drivers trail in sixth place! Now that that argument can be put to bed, the question still remains, are women better drivers than men? Let’s see…

Among other interesting South African driving habits, the Discovery Vitality in its road to a healthier South Africa report, outlined that women are, on paper, better behind the wheel than men. Oh yip you did read that correctly. The lifelong legend that men are better drivers has been put to bed.

The report claims that the country’s best drivers are women over the age of 66, while men between the ages of 18 to 25 take the cake for being the biggest hazard on the road.

According to the 2017 Road Traffic Management Corporation’s Road Fatality report, the highest number of driver fatalities were recorded from the age group of 25 – 44. This age group contributed to 26% of all driver fatalities between 2016/ 2017 respectively. The report also stated that there were more males fatally injured in accidents than females.

Well there you have it folks.

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The battle of the sexes will forever remain a contentious issue in society, however, males might feel the financial pinch when it comes to paying for damages caused by reckless driving. 

According to 1st For Women’s Jolene Chait, women are currently paying less for their insurance claims. “It’s a well known fact that statistically, the cost of repairs to vehicles crashed by women is on average, lower than the cost of damage caused by men. This is further supported by statistics that state that in South Africa, the cost of the average car claim by an 18-year old male is R11 997.00, while that for an 18-year old woman is R8668.00.” That’s a pretty penny right there.

Although women have been named as better drivers, many people still argue when it comes to vehicle insurance, vehicle claims are coherent with the people claiming, Many couples take out vehicle insurance under the husband’s name. This means that if the wife has an accident in her husband’s vehicle, the husband’s premium will increase, which isn’t totally fair! 

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So it seems that 1st for Women were on the right track when choosing their business model according to recent reports. 1st for Women is South Africa’s first and only ‘women-centric’ insurance brand and we are wondering if more companies may follow this trend.

Chait explains that this brand has conducted thorough research into women and insurance and have found that women are less of a risk on the road.

In 2004, data depicted that more women were taking out their own insurance, however, there were no insurance companies willing to cater for their needs. “Women are extremely time-pressed and also safety is a huge concern for South African women. Our aim is to keep women safe and make their lives easier while at the same time, provide a product offering that meets their needs and requirements as women,” says Chait.

Although 1st for Women provides insurance like other insurance companies, they offer customers with the Guardian Angel Lifestyle Assistance benefits. This includes:

• Roadside assistance;

• Home assistance;

• Medical assistance;

• Tax, finance and legal assistance.

All members are automatically part of the 1st For Women Foundation whereby a portion of all premiums are donated to organizations that protect women against violence and abuse. I think we can all agree this is an amazing initiative.

Chait explains that ‘women-centric’ insurance provides a platform for women to feel as important as men in an environment that previously, was predominantly run by men.

“Today, it’s no longer about being better than men, or the differences that exist between the sexes, but rather about gender acceptance and greater independence on women’s own terms. It’s all about redefining women and their multiple, integrated roles and supporting them to be the best that they can be.”