GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans prefer to ride in a car driven by a man rather than one driven by a woman, although many say they have no preference. At the same time, Americans are slightly more likely to say women are safer drivers than men. Men are more likely than women to say they prefer riding with a male driver and that men are safer drivers; the opposite is true for women. Younger adults express a higher preference for riding with a male driver than do older Americans, but younger adults are equally likely to say men are safer drivers as to say women are safer.
These conclusions are based on a poll conducted May 22-24, 2006 of a nationally representative sample of 1,003 members of Gallup's household panel.
Overall Results
By a 33% to 21% margin, Americans say they would rather ride in a car driven by a man than a woman. Forty-three percent of Americans volunteered that it made no difference to them at all.
Even though more Americans would prefer to ride with a man rather than a woman, Americans divide fairly evenly about which group are better drivers -- 37% say women are and 34% say men. Nearly one in four Americans (24%) volunteers that men and women are equally safe drivers.
Men vs. Women
There is a strong gender factor in these attitudes. Men are much more likely than women to say they prefer to ride in a car driven by a man and to say men are safer drivers; essentially the opposite is true for women.
Among men, 42% say they would rather be a passenger in a car driven by a man, while 8% say they would rather drive with a woman. Nearly half of men say it does not matter to them. This compares with 25% of women who say they would rather ride in a car driven by a man, 33% who prefer a woman, and 40% who say it makes no difference.
Men also say they are safer drivers than women, with 45% of men saying men are safer drivers and 24% saying women are safer drivers. Women, meanwhile, are more than twice as likely to say women (50%) are safer drivers than men (23%). More than one in five men and women volunteer that it makes no difference whether a man or woman is driving.
Younger vs. Older Americans
Americans in different age groups express different views in their responses to these two questions.
Americans in all age groups would prefer a male rather than female driver, but this sentiment is higher among younger adults. Older Americans are more inclined to volunteer that it does not make a difference. Thirty-nine percent of 18- to 34-year-olds would prefer to drive with a male driver, while 23% would prefer a female driver, and 37% feel it makes no difference. Among 35- to 54-year-olds, 32% prefer a male driver, 20% prefer a female driver, and 46% say it makes no difference. And, among those aged 55 and older, 31% would rather drive with a man, 20% with a woman, and 46% with either.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 are almost equally likely to believe men are safer drivers as they are to believe women are the safer drivers. Among older Americans, there is a slight edge for women, with a 36% to 31% margin for adults between the ages of 35 and 54, and a smaller, 36% to 33% margin for adults aged 55 and older.
Survey Methods
Results for this panel study are based on telephone interviews with 1,003 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted May 22-24, 2006. Respondents were randomly drawn from Gallup's household panel, which was originally recruited through random selection methods. The panel was weighted prior to sampling so that it was demographically representative of the U.S. adult population. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
