Female drivers in the United States, 1963-2013: from a minority to a majority?

Abstract

This study examined the changes in the relative proportions of male and female drivers in the United States from 1963 through 2013. The analysis used data from the Federal Highway Administration. During the period examined, the proportion of female drivers has gradually increased. In 1963, females represented 39.6% of all drivers. Females became a majority in 2005. In 2013, they constituted 50.5%. Although female drivers are currently a slight majority, the likelihood of them being on the road depends not only on their relative numbers, but also on the relative amount of driving that they do (with females driving less than males). A consideration of both the percentage of drivers by gender and the average annual distance driven by gender reveals that, in 1963, 23.8% of drivers on the road were females, which increased to 40.8% by 2013.