A study of the trucking industry by Auburn University College of Business found that women truck drivers are more likely to follow rules when it comes to driving and therefore are safer drivers.
Men consistently were more likely than women to engage in risky driving behavior, regardless of the circumstances or the type of carrier. The survey found that men were 13.2% more likely to have a major unsafe driving violation, such as driving more than 15 miles per hour over the posted limit.
They were also 7.4% more likely to drive more hours than allowed by the government. As the researchers note, such violations “make truck accidents more likely and more deadly.”
The study used more than 22 million data points from truck inspections from 2010 to 2022.
This data is particularly relevant given the shortage of truck drivers and the low percentage of women in the industry. “The truck driver shortage has been significant for a long time,” said Beth Davis-Sramek, chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management, said in an article. “There have been a lot of policy discussions about it. That’s really when we started thinking about the industry and the shortage and the gender difference, because part of it is, if there were more women drivers, there would be less of a shortage.”
The researchers say that there are a number of reasons why women might not consider the field with many having to do with safety issues. These include unsafe parking options, and a lack of security at rest stops.
But there has been some movement in attracting more women to the field. In 2023, women make up over 12.1% of truck drivers, according to the 2023 Women in Trucking Index.
