Male vs. female driving statistics 2025
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There are more licensed female drivers in the U.S. than licensed male drivers. But men nonetheless drive far more than women each year.
A disproportionate share of fatal traffic accidents involve male drivers, particularly when speeding or alcohol use is a contributing factor. Overall, male drivers were involved in over 74% of fatal car accidents in the U.S. in 2021.
Licensed female drivers have outnumbered licensed male drivers since 2005. In 2022, there were just under 119 million licensed female drivers and just over 116 million licensed male drivers.
Jump to insightOn average, men drive about 13,356 miles per year. Women drive around 9,838 miles per year, which is about 26% fewer miles than men.
Jump to insightIn 2021, more new cars were purchased by men than women. However, women were responsible for the slight majority of used car purchases.
Jump to insightMale drivers account for nearly three-quarters of all fatal car crashes in the U.S. They are also far more likely than women to be drivers in fatal crashes that involve speeding or alcohol use.
Jump to insightDriving demographics statistics
Registered female drivers have outnumbered registered male drivers in the U.S. since 2005.8 This is demographically logical since women and girls represent more than 50% of the U.S. population. However, the female population has outnumbered the male population in the U.S. since 1946,9 meaning it took more than a half-century for America’s gender demographics to be reflected among the number of registered American drivers.
In 2022, there were more licensed female drivers than licensed male drivers in every age group 30 years old or older.
Gender also impacts car insurance rates: While younger men are likely to pay higher rates due to riskier driving behaviors, some studies have shown that rates for women are higher once they reach the age of 35.
Which gender does the most driving?
According to the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), men have historically done more driving than women, though this gap appears to be narrowing with time. In the most recent year for which data is available, American women drove about 26% less miles than American men.
While comparable data was not collected as part of the 2022 NHTS, that survey does indicate that men travel more miles per day on average than women (31 versus 26.2, respectively). However, those daily travel averages reflect all modes of transit, not just driving.
The 2022 NHTS does show that among drivers 50 years of age and older, men drive more than women. Among American men ages 50 and older, 94.1% were drivers, and they drove an average of 27.72 miles per day. Among American women ages 50 and older, 93% were drivers, and they drove an average of 21.11 miles per day.
New and used car sales by gender
Car sales statistics suggest that gender plays a role in the type of vehicle purchased by car buyers. Men make up the majority of new car buyers, while the slight majority of used car buyers are women. In an average year, used cars make up about three-quarters of all car sales.
Motor vehicle crashes by gender
Male drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents than female drivers. In 2021, male drivers accounted for just over 74% of fatal U.S. car crashes. The same holds true over the past 25 years, with male drivers involved in roughly three-quarters of all fatal crashes annually.
Drivers of both genders have experienced an uptick in fatal crashes since 2011. Overall, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes increased by 37% between 2011 and 2021. Fatal crashes involving male drivers were up by nearly 38% over this period, while fatal crashes involving female drivers rose by over 34%.
What are the most common fatal crashes by gender?
Among the reasons that men are more likely than women to be involved in fatal crashes is their likelihood to engage in riskier driving practices, such as speeding and driving while under the influence of alcohol. In 2022, 20% of male drivers involved in a fatal car accident were speeding, while the same was true for only 12% of female drivers involved in a fatal car accident.
Drunk driving statistics by gender
Similarly, male drivers are much more likely than female drivers to be killed in car accidents involving alcohol. In 2022, 4,709 male drivers who died in motor vehicle accidents had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. The corresponding number for female drivers was only 1,328.
FAQ
Do men or women cause more fatal car accidents?
Male drivers are involved in significantly more fatal car accidents than women. Even when miles driven are taken into account, men have a higher likelihood of being behind the wheel in a fatal accident.
Who are the most dangerous drivers?
Fatal car crash rates are particularly high for male drivers ages 16 to 19. American drivers in this demographic have a fatal crash rate that is more than three times higher than the rate for all drivers.
Do men or women drive more?
On average, men drive more miles than women. In 2017, American men drove an average of 13,356 miles each, while American women drove an average of 9,838 miles each. And in 2018, men drove 22.2 miles per day, compared with 16.1 for women.
References
- “Average Annual Miles per Driver by Age Group.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 21, 2024.Link Here
- Carlier, M. “Distribution of new and used car buyers in the United States in 2021, by gender.” Statista. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “New and Used Passenger Car and Light Truck Sales and Leases.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “Fatality Facts 2022: Males and females.” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- Carlier, M. “Number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in U.S. road traffic from 1996 to 2021 by sex.” Statista. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “National Household Travel Survey.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “Summary of Travel Trends: 2022 National Household Travel Survey.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “Highway Statistics 2022, Table DL-220.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “Population by gender.” USAFacts. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
- “Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2023.” U.S. Department of Transportation. Evaluated June 22, 2024.Link Here
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