Gender differences in drivers' road risks and gender equality policies: A gender paradox? Comparative analysis of 39 countries

Gender is an acknowledge factor in road traffic fatalities, with men far more likely to die in road traffic crashes than women. This study aims to determine whether gender differences in drivers' self-reported risk behaviours and psychosocial factors vary by country's gender equality policies. Using the third edition of the E-Survey of Road users' Attitudes database, we analysed gender differences in the behaviour and attitudes of 16,031 frequent drivers (54.46 % men) surveyed via an online questionnaire in 39 countries. We characterised these countries according to their level on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index and its four sub-indices (economic, education, health and political). We analysed differences by driver gender, levels of the gender gap indices and their interactions, on reported behaviour, social and personal acceptability, self-efficacy, risk perception, support for road safety policies and perceived deterrence, controlling for driver age and country income level. The results show that men drivers tend to have riskier behaviours, attitudes and perceptions than women drivers, regardless of the level of gender equality in the countries studied. They also show that gender equality policies seem to increase the risky behaviours and attitudes of men and women drivers in the sample. Furthermore, greater gender policies do not appear to reduce gender differences in these psychological constructs. In particular, high levels of equality in the economic, educational and health seems to reinforce gender differences in attitudes and perceptions related to risky driving behaviour. We discuss this gender paradox as a result of the essentialisation of gender stereotypes and the impact of safety culture on men and women. These findings may be useful, particularly in a safe system approach to road safety, for better framing road safety campaigns and education.