The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-09-01
MEN DECLARED
TO BE BETTER
MOTORISTS

Men are better driverS than
Domen, and are more courte-
Gus, says Prot. John S. Worley,
University of Michigan traffic
expert, notD conducting q sur
Uey in Detroit designed to re-
duce "trattic slaughter" Prot.
WorIey deals Nth this old con-
trouerSy in this first of a series
of three articles through Inter
national NetDS SerUice.
BY PROF. JOHN S. WORLEY
As Told to International News Service.
DETROIT, Sept. Women
are not as good drivers as men.
While aware of the long-drawn-
out controversy over the relative
merits of men and women behind
the wheel, it is my opinion after
much informal research that
women have not reached the per-
lection of their brothers in the
handling Of motor cars.
My findings are based on the
only actual test ever made Of the
relative merits of men and women
drivers. It was recently conducted
by q New York taxicab company.
The firm hired both men and
women drivers to operate its fleet
and after careful analysis and
check-up Of mileage driven by the
two groups arrived at that very
definite conclusion.
More ImpulSive
That is not to say all men
drivers are better than women
drivers. In fact, in man, cases
quite the opposi. is true. Michi-
gan's safest driver" recently
picked to compete in a national
safety contest was a woman.
However, that was an individual
case.
We have discovered that the
average woman is not as emo
tionally stabilized as the average
man, and more apt to do things
by ungrounded impulse.
The contention is refuted by
statistics prepared by States col
Letting such data, in which it is
disclosed women drivers. are in
volved in only 6 per cent of all
fatal traffic accidents as against
"a per cent for men.
Critical Speed" Vital
But these statistics are rendered
valueleSs, due to the fact it has
raelya1- kaaoVA +oLoYN into OOVNciIaro
ton the number of miles driven
by men and women and the rela-
tive accidents of each. Then, too,
it is a Well-knoWn fact that there
are more men than women driv-
ing.
In cases we have studied, it was
found women drivers do not pos
SesS the sense of critical speed"
found among men. BY Critical
speed" mean the ability Of driv-
ers to know how fast they should
go at a particular time in a given
environment.
A speedy driver takes his time
in congested areas and regulates
his speed on open roadways to
meet conditions. The reckless
driver is merely bent on one
thing-"getting there"-and in so
attempting, he risks injury to life.
limb and property Of other drivers
and pedestrians.
Found Less Courteous
An alarming discovery, verified
by most veteran judges, is that
women are less courteous than
men in traffic. The average
woman driver appears suffering
from an inferiority complex.
To offset that complex behind
the wheel, the psychological de.
tense mechanism of ladies first"
appears to dominate.
Most veteran judges assert
women seem to unconSciouSly set
up a defense mechanism that they
should be excused more readily
than a man for traffic infractions
on the grounds they are women.
Again this applies to women as a
group, not to individuals.
I'm his next article, Professor
WOrley discusses Pedestrians"
VOTE AMERICAN