New research has found 81 per cent of people killed on Australian roads between January and September 2024 were male and says more needs to be done to more closely align the different driving behaviours of men and women.
The University of South Australia’s Margaret Brown found 989 of the 1295 people killed on Australian roads in the 12 months to October 2024 were male, however they were only 50 per cent of the car passengers.
Men also accounted for 90 per cent of cyclists and 96 per cent of motorcyclists killed on Australian roads.
Brown asserts a key reason for this can be found in other road death toll research, where it has been shown that men are more likely to speed, drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and not wear seatbelts.
Those rates become even more alarming – even when accepting the fact men are more likely to drive longer distances and more often – when it is discovered most safety features in vehicles are designed using crash test dummies traditionally modelled on male bodies.
Brown also asserts the association between large, fast vehicles and masculinity is continuing to contribute to the problem of speeding and dangerous driving.
The rates of minor injuries suffered on the roads is similar between men and women, with research suggesting women are more likely to drive with distraction, such as texting or eating while driving.
With the upcoming Christmas period set to see increased traffic – and potential adverse weather – on road across the country, strategies are being implemented to attempt to keep road users as safe as possible over the holiday period.
One of these strategies, which is being undertaken in Victoria, is an increased and more visible police presence across the state as part of ‘Operation Roadwise’, which kicked off late last week.
The 20-day enforcement operation was also conducted in 2023, with speeding and impaired drivers the target of the increased presence.
December is the worst month of the year for drink driving in Victoria. Last year, police conducted over 300,000 preliminary breath tests over the operation.
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