A89 Girls crash too: trends and comparisons between male and female young driver crash rates in Great Britain

Abstract

Abstract Background Road traffic crashes involving young drivers (YD) are often assumed to be due to ‘boy racers’, but there is little recent epidemiological data available to support this idea. This is, in part, due to a lack of analysis of crash rates. Specific Aim To calculate and compare single vehicle crash rates for male and female, YD (17 to 19 years) and OD (20+ years), using driver licensing data. Methods Police road traffic crash data for 2000 to 20013 were obtained from the UK data archive and, used to analyse single vehicle crashes in England, Scotland, Wales and GB. Three year rolling average single vehicle crash rates were calculated. Rate ratios for YD to OD crash rates, along with 95% confidence intervals, were calculated, along with rate ratios and 95%CI for male YD v female YD. Results Male and female YD crash rates declined between 2000 and 2013, with male rates always higher than females. The gap between males and females narrowed significantly. In 2000-02, male rates were 15.0 per 1000, female rates 5.7; a rate ratio of 2.6 times (95%CI 2.47 to 2.81). By 2011-13, male rates were just 5.2, female rates 3.5; rate ratio 1.5 times (95%CI 1.38 to 1.62). While the inequalities between male YD and OD have narrowed significantly, from 6.1 times (95%CI 5.90 to 6.29) to 3.9 times (95%CI 3.74 to 4.12), because of the more rapid decrease in male YD crash rates, there has been no change in female YD and OD inequalities (2000-02 RR 5.4, 95%CI 5.11 to 5.75; 2011-13 RR 5.7, 95%CI 5.31 to 6.04); factors influencing male YD crash rates had little or no effect on female crash rates. Conclusions Crash rates for males and females, YD and OD have decreased considerably since 2000. However, the relative impact of crashes on females has changed less than it has for males. This may be due to the perception that YD crashes are a male problem leading to interventions being targeted preferentially at males. This was important when male rates were considerably higher than those of females, but now, more universal approaches are needed. These data lend further support to the call for Graduated Driver Licensing; a universal young driver intervention that has been shown to be effective in reducing crash rates.