Men Behind the Wheel: Three Times More Violations and Accidents than Women
Men are three times more likely than women to commit traffic violations while driving and to be involved in accidents. Moreover, they are more likely to create situations on the road that are highly dangerous to others. Men are also twice as likely to drive under the influence and nearly one-third more likely to receive a prison sentence for reckless driving. Perhaps it comes down to cultural norms and the different attitudes men and women have toward driving. These are the conclusions reached by Anton Kazun, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, and Research Assistant Mikhail Belov.
There is a stereotype that women are worse driver than men; female drivers are perceived to be less careful behind the wheel, more easily stressed, reacting poorly to unforeseen situations, and struggling with navigation. According to this stereotype, it is generally assumed that women are more likely to cause road accidents. Anton Kazun, Assistant Professor at HSE FES, and Mikhail Belov, Research Assistant at the International Centre for the Study of Institutions and Development, have examined whether this assumption is fair and whose driving is more dangerous.
The authors reviewed almost 160,000 published court decisions under Article 264 of the Russian Criminal Code (regarding violations of road rules and vehicle operation) issued between 2010 and 2022. It was found that in over 90% of these cases, the defendants were men. The authors performed normalisation and calculated the frequency of accidents considering the difference in the number of drivers of each sex (68% of men and only 22% of women drive). After accounting for the gender imbalance among drivers, men are 3.25 times more likely to be involved in accidents that lead to criminal cases.
The researchers hypothesised that the difference in driving behaviour between men and women is due to varying attitudes: men tend to drive faster and more aggressively. For example, men drive an average of 26% more kilometres per day than women yet spend only 10% more time behind the wheel. Additionally, men are more likely to drive under the influence: in a quarter of criminal cases, male drivers were charged with drunk driving. Among women convicted of traffic offenses, only 10% were charged with driving under the influence. Men are significantly more likely to cause road accidents that result in fatalities or injuries. Even after accounting for gender normalisation, three-quarters of those charged with offences involving significant public danger are men. In nearly two-thirds of cases, men are sentenced to imprisonment, whereas women charged under Article 264 receive a prison sentence in only 50% of cases.
According to the authors, this difference can be partially attributed to variations in gender socialisation, socio-economic factors, and regional cultural differences. In some regions, such as Primorye, Moscow, or St. Petersburg, the gap in the number of accidents caused by women and men is narrower than the national average. In others, such as Dagestan or Chukotka, the gap can be much wider, ranging from 6 to 10 or even 20 times.
In large cities, women are more likely to drive, whereas in the southern regions of Russia, driving is predominantly seen as a male activity. This regional variation suggests significant differences in driving styles across the country, which may be linked to local cultural factors. The state should consider cultural norms and work to enhance the driving safety of everyone on the road.
Anton Kazun
'The overall objective is to ensure that men and women have equal opportunities and rights in education, employment, and family life. At the same time, it can be assumed that having more careful and safer drivers, such as women, on the roads could generally improve driving standards and reduce the number of accidents. However, this process is likely to take time. It is also important to consider what measures need to be taken to ensure that men drive with the same level of caution as women,' according to Assistant Professor at HSE FES Anton Kazun.
See also:
HSE Scientists Discover How to Predict Charitable Behaviour Through Physiological Reactions
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have investigated how the emotional impact of advertising affects the amount people willing to donate to support animal welfare. To accomplish this, the researchers measured physiological responses such as heart rate, electrodermal activity, and facial expressions in individuals viewing various photos of dogs. The findings indicate that willingness to donate is most accurately predicted by heart rate and facial muscle activation. The study has been published in Social Psychology.
'We Are Creating the Medicine of the Future'
Dr Gerwin Schalk is a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai and a partner of the HSE Centre for Language and Brain within the framework of the strategic project 'Human Brain Resilience.' Dr Schalk is known as the creator of BCI2000, a non-commercial general-purpose brain-computer interface system. In this interview, he discusses modern neural interfaces, methods for post-stroke rehabilitation, a novel approach to neurosurgery, and shares his vision for the future of neurotechnology.
First Successful Attempt in 55 years: Physicists in Russia and Germany Confirm 1969 Experiment Results
A team of researchers, with the participation of physicists from HSE University, replicated the 1969 experiment on superconductivity and its properties. The scientists induced superconductivity by deliberately deteriorating the interfaces between the layers of superconductors and ferromagnets in the system, resulting in better performance of spin valves compared to the classical version, where the interfaces between the layers are ideal. This approach could lead to the development of more efficient devices for data storage and computing. The study findings have been published in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology.
Healthy Nutrition Saves Public Funds: Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Costs in Russia
In Russia, the annual cost of treating type 2 diabetes alone exceeds 500 billion roubles. Promoting healthy nutrition programmes can ease the burden on the healthcare system and increase life expectancy. This was the conclusion reached by economists at HSE University after analysing global experiences with government involvement in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Conscientious Individuals Live Longer
Personality traits such as conscientiousness, emotional stability, and an internal locus of control significantly influence one's lifestyle and longevity. Not only can personality traits influence health through beneficial and harmful habits but can also have a direct effect on mortality. Higher conscientiousness reduces the risk of premature death by 20 percentage points, while higher neuroticism increases it by 12 percentage points. These are the findings from a new study by Ksenia Rozhkova, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Labour Market Studies of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences.
Esports Players Play Better Online
In competitions, esports players, like other athletes, face stress and show worse results due to pressure. A substantial decrease takes place in the performance of esports players during overtime. This effect, however, is significantly mitigated in online competitions compared to live events—the difference can reach 30%. A study by a team of authors from HSE University’s Moscow and Perm campuses and European University Viadrina (Germany) explores the phenomenon of choking under pressure within the context of esports. The study was published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.
Analysing Genetic Information Can Help Prevent Complications after Myocardial Infarction
Researchers at HSE University have developed a machine learning (ML) model capable of predicting the risk of complications—major adverse cardiac events—in patients following a myocardial infarction. For the first time, the model incorporates genetic data, enabling a more accurate assessment of the risk of long-term complications. The study has been published in Frontiers in Medicine.
A New Tool Designed to Assess AI Ethics in Medicine Developed at HSE University
A team of researchers at the HSE AI Research Centre has created an index to evaluate the ethical standards of artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in medicine. This tool is designed to minimise potential risks and promote safer development and implementation of AI technologies in medical practice.
Smoking Habit Affects Response to False Feedback
A team of scientists at HSE University, in collaboration with the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, studied how people respond to deception when under stress and cognitive load. The study revealed that smoking habits interfere with performance on cognitive tasks involving memory and attention and impairs a person’s ability to detect deception. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Russian Physicists Determine Indices Enabling Prediction of Laser Behaviour
Russian scientists, including researchers at HSE University, examined the features of fibre laser generation and identified universal critical indices for calculating their characteristics and operating regimes. The study findings will help predict and optimise laser parameters for high-speed communication systems, spectroscopy, and other areas of optical technology. The paper has been published in Optics & Laser Technology.