The survey was carried out during May 2024 in 20 countries around the world (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and USA). The expert advisor of the survey was Platforma Vize0.
“Through a questionnaire we analyzed how women-drivers feel, what they fear, how they behave behind the wheel, and on roads. The results of the survey are remarkable,” says Sabina Kvášová, Jury of the Czech Republic and editor-in-chief of the magazine Zena v aute.cz, conductor of the survey.
Concerns while driving
What are women drivers afraid of when driving? According to the study, there are three main topics about which women drivers have concerns: aggressive drivers (22%), accidents (20%) and driving in reduced visibility (20%), followed by skidding (13%) and collision with animals (9%). About 16% of those interviewed think there is to worry about.
It is interesting to look at answers that vary from country to country. For example, aggressive drivers as a main concern while driving was mostly stated by respondents from USA (82%), Spain (31%) and Poland (38%). Accidents as a main fear was represented in answers from Italy (51%), Poland (35%) and Germany (31%). Driving in reduced visibility is a subject of concern mainly for women drivers from UK (52%), Germany (50%) and Poland (20%).
The survey revealed that 78% of women drivers consider aggression on the roads as a serious problem and 69% respondents think that aggressive behaviour on the roads has been increasing.
A survey organizer and member of the WWCOTY jury, Sabina Kvasova stated that the majority of women drivers worldwide sporadically encounter (55%) aggressive behaviour on the roads. Only 25% of respondents encounter aggressive behaviour every day, 20% several times a week.
What women drivers propose
When asked what measures should be taken against aggressors, women drivers worldwide support mainly strict penalties (45%), specialized psychological therapy program (27%), training of future drivers (20%) and prevention campaigns (6%).
Looking at specific countries, strict penalties against aggressive drivers are supported by women drivers profoundly in Denmark and Serbia (97%), followed by USA (54%) and Italy (50%). Obligation to undergo a specialised psychological therapy program for drivers and subsequent psychological assessment of a driver’s mental abilities have a strong support in Denmark a Serbia (97%), USA (54%) and in Poland as well as in Columbia (50%). Future drivers must be made aware of the risks associated with aggressiveness on the roads during their training – as a proposed measure is backed in the UK (43%), Italy (42%), Spain (30%). Prevention campaigns on the dangers of aggression were mainly stated in the answers of respondents from USA (45%), Poland (37%) and Germany (24%).
With this study, the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year aims to publicize women driver’s perspective concerning driving behaviour. International Women Drivers’ Day, a day that vindicates mobility as an inalienable right that contributes to the freedom, dignity, and personal and professional development of women, is the perfect organization to highlight this survey. Driving opens the door to independence for millions of women around the world to seek a better future, to achieve fairer living conditions, and to pursue their passion for motorsports.
Today, women influence more than 80% of car purchases in advanced countries. This number will continue or grow in the coming years. “The percentage of young women university students is already higher in developed countries. Salary parity is beginning to be an achievable goal, Boards of Directors are no longer exclusively male, and in the lists of the richest people in the world, it is not unusual to see more and more women’s names,” says Marta García, executive president of WWCOTY.
International Women Drivers Day also celebrates amplifying the importance of women expressing their opinions and experiences about cars on social networks. The number of women globally on Instagram is 53.6%, Facebook 44%, LinkedIn 43.7% and TikTok 49.2%. For women, it’s not just about performance and safety, but also about saving the planet through environmental awareness without losing the right to the freedom to come and go where and when you want.
International Women Drivers’ Day is cause for reflection. Many women still feel scrutinized by their partners when they drive, use only the second family car, or feel little support in the world of motorsports. That’s why the celebration of International Women Drivers’ Day, an initiative promoted by Women’s World Car of the Year, is more important than ever. A future of sustainable mobility and equality is only possible with the contribution of women.
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About Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year
Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year is the only car awards group in the world comprised exclusively of women motoring journalists. It was created by New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre in 2009. She is Honorary President while Marta García is Executive President.
This unique award aims to recognise the best cars of the year and to give a voice to women in the automotive world. The voting criteria are based on the same principles that guide any driver when choosing a car. The jurors do not select a ‘woman’s car’ because cars are not gender specific. Aspects such as safety, quality, price, design, ease of driving, benefits and environmental footprint, among others, are considered when casting the votes.
However, beyond choosing the best cars of the year, our goal is also to give visibility to women in the automotive world and to contribute to making women’s voices heard on all continents because mobility for a woman means access to many personal and professional possibilities.