About half had been stopped for a traffic violation in the past three years, primarily for speeding. The women in the focus groups thought that the alcohol-related behaviors of male drivers were quite different from their own. When they travel with a man, the man is more likely to be the driver, but this depends on their relationship to the male, who owns the vehicle, and personal preference. Several women mentioned that they often drove if their significant other had been drinking. They often characterized female drivers as cautious and responsible and believe women are more aware of their surroundings when they are driving.
Mothers are even more cautious when their children are in the vehicle.
Several women said they took more driving risks when they were younger and that they thought younger men take more risks than older men. Participants felt that women are more likely to plan ahead when drinking and more likely than men to find an alternate way to get home from bars or parties when they have had too much to drink. Women are more apt to say, I can't. The most common alternate way home was to have a designated driver, but this was often not planned ahead of time. It was frequently the person who happened not to drink that night or the one who had the least to drink that night.