Comparison of data from two studies of fatal road accidents, an in-depth study for 1991 to 1993 and a study for 1986, shows that women drivers are becoming increasingly involved in these accidents in New Zealand. However, women drivers have different characteristics in their accidents from men. They do less drinking and driving or travelling at excessive speed than men, although young women drink and drive or speed more often than older women. The important factors for accidents differ according to the age of the driver. Young women are more likely to have alcohol involvement or incompetence or inexperience as a factor, whereas older women are more likely to fail to give way. Many older women got their driver's licence late in life. Three-quarters of this group are not drinking drivers or speeding drivers. Women involved in a fatal drink driving accident are much less likely than men to have a previous conviction for drink driving. Female drinking drivers in reported injury accidents increased between 1986 and 1992, whereas male drinking drivers decreased. (A)
Abstract