Why Do Men Get More Traffic Tickets Than Women?

According to the stereotype, men are better drivers than women. If your insurance rates aren’t enough to convince you that line of thinking is wrong, consider this: Men are 2.5 times more likely to get a traffic ticket in New York, according to a recent study conducted by the Albany-based Times Union.

The big question, however, is why.

The Times Union mostly speculates, asking experts and police officers who offer anecdotal information, blaming everything from men’s testosterone to women sweet talking their way out of a ticket.

Despite the lack of evidence presented, the former may have some truth to it. Science has shown that testosterone impairs judgment. That could help explain why an earlier report from MetLife found that male drivers, nationwide, are 3.5 times more likely to get ticketed for reckless driving than female drivers, and 3.1 times more likely to get charged with drunk driving. The same poor judgment is evident when looking at how often men take a call while driving. A study conducted by RealNetworks last year found that regardless of who was calling – their significant other, boss, sibling, mom, or even an anonymous caller – men were still more likely to answer the phone behind the wheel than women.

Overall, men cause nearly 40% more accidents per year than women – 6.1 million versus 4.4 million. That’s actually not bad, considering that men drive 63% more miles than women (16,550 versus 10,142). All those extra miles could also explain why men get more tickets than women. In fact, the one area where women in New York get more tickets, the Times Union found, is speeding in a school zone, probably because women are more likely to drive in a school zone to drop off and pick up kids. (Although it’s worth noting that women only received six more tickets per year than men.)

However, that whole bit about women sweet talking their way out of tickets is nowhere near as significant as suggested. A study by esurance revealed that men are more successful at talking their way out of a ticket than women. Fifty-six percent of men say they have talked their way out of a ticket compared to only 43% of women. Some men aren’t even above flirting to avoid a summons, with 4% claiming they’ve tried it, compared to 8% of women.

Regardless of your gender, if you or someone you love has been ticketed for speeding in a school zone, violating cell phone laws, or any other traffic offense in New York, it is essential that you contact an attorney to avoid the fees, insurance impact, and other consequences that come with a conviction. The lawyers of the Rosenblum Law are experienced traffic ticket attorneys with offices in New York and New Jersey. Email or call 888-203-2619 for a free consultation about your case.