New Britain herald., 1927-01-08
.'C0.EU SMARTER
 DRIVER THAN MALE
''Female of Species" Is Called
 Better Insurance Risk

Washington, Jan. S.-The college coed may be addicted to many of the late modes disapproved by the "older generation. but when it comes to the driving of an automo- bile, she is an infinitely better risk than her brother.
 This is one of the arresting dis closures forthcoming as a result of auestionnaire addressed by the American Automobile Association to 125 of the leading insurance and underwriting companies of America.
 Practically all the insurance com panies that have had experience in underwriting college students agree that the female of the species is a much safer risk than the mere male''. She doesn't take nearly as many chances and even 'in the pinches" she appears to handle the car with better judgment than her strong-armed brother. She does better, also, when it comes to avoid ing emergencies. In fine. she is neither so reckless nor so careless as the boy and, as result. she is not caught in anything like as many damaging situations.
 Male Is Reckless
 But what about the brother of Miss Coed: We'll, the question naire clearly shows him to be un- questionably possessed of high content of recklessness in his com plex. He is often very reckless; he is often a very bad risk and in many cases the insurance companies shy clear of him entirely. However, they believe that if they are con- pelled to insure him at random, as they would be under compulsory liability insurance law, he would prove drain on their treasuries.
 Under compulsory insurance, of course. the companies could not side-step bad risks, as a blanket coverage would destroy the time honored right to select risks.
 tThe A. A. A. questionnaire re- ferred specifically to the attitude of insurance companies towards college students as driving risks. The re- plies were somewhat startling. Of the 125 queried 59 maintained silence, but 66 answered, most of them with considerable warmth. Fifty of the 66 companies side-step insuring college students if it Is at all possible. Three never had any experience with the campus, and 13 are willing to write policies for stu dents, but most of these admit they always look very carefully into the history, prospects, ganglions, re- flexes, and other equipment of col lege youth.
 Most of the compulsory insurance plans, which are now up for legis- lative consideration in appproxi- matelyf f4O states, provide that the insurance companies must insure any person permitted by the state to drive an automobile. If persons of the high type of college students are bad risks, it is obvious that there must be many more who are worse. Thus the percentage of loss might become so great that many insur- ance companies probably would have field.
 College Student Bad Risk"
 In discussing the college student, virtually every reply uses the phrases bad risk" and ''irre- sponsible." The companies all ad- y,i} fI,nt h h ordination of thought and muscle should make him better driver mechanically than his father or older brother; but they assert that this mechanical superiority is set at naught by a lack of judgment. He gets pleasant little chills running up and down his spinal column when he takes a chance" And not only does he appear quite willing to take chances, but seems even eager for them. In word, he is more than mildly adventurous.
 He is. the companies point out, quite a nice young man, but away from home and parental restraint. His exuberance is quite likely to lead him into an ambulance. He keeps quite cool and collected when Aristotle or Joseph Conrad is mentioned, but when somebody says step on it." he de- velops spasmodic jerks in his &C., celerator toe.
 Not one of the companies reply ing to the A. A. A. questionnaire in sures automobile drivers of less than 16 years of age, and most of them will not go under IS. Moreover, they hesitate to insure family cars where the children are permitted to drive often. or without close super vision of their elders.
 Invariably the reply to the ques- tionnaire contained an extra para graph commenting unfavorably upon automobile liability in surance. Every company declared 1 that its own experience had proven that compulsory insurance would l prove detriment to safety and | careful driving; that it would actu- ally breed carelessness and reck- | lessness; and that the nations bill for compulsory insurance would run so high, and become so great drain | on everybody concerned, that ma terial inroad into the national | pocketbook would be inevitable.