A new analysis by the traffic institute VIAS based on the police accident database reveals a worrying trend: 8 out of 10 road deaths in Belgium are men.
The cause? More risky behavior among male road users, VIAS concludes. Moreover, the figures show that the chance of surviving a traffic accident is considerably greater if a woman is behind the wheel. The researchers examined traffic accidents over the past decade and found that accidents involving men are generally much more serious than those involving women behind the wheel.
The difference is particularly striking for motorcyclists: no less than 96 percent of road fatalities on motorcycles are men. For cyclists and motorists, that is 3 out of 4, while for pedestrians, slightly more than half of the victims are male.
risky behavior as a determining factor
According to Stef Willems to the news service VRT-NWS, spokesperson for VIAS, the overrepresentation of men among fatal traffic victims is largely due to their risky behavior. "Men may travel more kilometers than women, but that does not fully explain the figures. The biggest difference is in the way they behave in traffic," says Willems.
It turns out that in 10 percent of accidents in which a man is behind the wheel, alcohol plays a role. For women, that percentage is half as low at 5 percent. In addition, previous behavioral measurements show that men are more likely to drive too fast, are more easily distracted, wear seat belts less often and are more likely to drive without valid insurance.
“These are not random observations, but conclusions that emerge from various studies,” Willems emphasizes. “We also see this pattern in our training courses for traffic offenders: 80 percent of the participants in such training courses are men.” These training courses are imposed by the police judge as an alternative punishment for traffic violations and offer a deep insight into the causes of dangerous driving behavior.
To tackle the problem, VIAS advocates a more targeted approach in awareness campaigns, specifically aimed at men. “We have seen that certain target groups are more difficult to reach with general campaigns,” says Willems. “The last BOB campaign, for example, focused on football supporters, a group that is still predominantly male. We distributed key rings in club colours to make the message more effective.”
By tailoring campaigns more to the target group that is most at risk, VIAS hopes to positively influence the behaviour of male road users. After all, the figures leave no room for doubt: men are not only more often involved in serious accidents, but also more often take the risks that lead to these accidents.
