More Women in the Driver's Seat May Change Cars

For the first time since the mass manufactured car came off the assembly line, women have overtaken men in the licensed driver department, according to a study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. This shift in demographics could have a huge effect on the car industry and the future of transportation in general.

Some of the most trusted research has come from the University of Michigan. This particular study focused on the years between 1995 and 2010, a time span that began with men still holding the dominant hand in driver's licenses. However, by the end of the study women had taken a decided lead.

The early days of car culture marked the need to drive fast cars that were easily customizable to represent the vehicle's owner. Car culture encouraged road trips to see America and joked about bad women drivers. In the 1950s, only half of adult women eligible for a license actually had one. Over time, baby boomers and the birth of traffic congestion also changed the way Americans view their cars. Instead of romance, drivers were burdened by the idea of hours in the car.

In truth, women are far less likely than men to have a serious accident while driving. Men have a proven higher fatality rate per mile driven. Women prefer a safer, smaller car over an expensive muscle car. They also value fuel efficiency over gas guzzlers and tend to drive less when possible. With women becoming the group to please in the car industry, the world may look forward to more vehicles that espouse those values.

These are the hard numbers found by University of Michigan. In 1995, men outnumbered women 89.2 million to 87.4 million. In 2010, the roles reversed and women outnumbered men 105.7 million to 104.3 million. Over the 15 year span, men 25 to 29-years-old dropped by 10.6 percent while women in the same age group declined only by 4.7 percent. Only male drivers under 44-years-old outnumber their female counterparts, mostly because there are more young men than young women in America.

However, the youngest driving demographic of 16 to 24-years-old is dominantly female. This could be the high youth unemployment rate at work, the higher cost of car insurance for young men due to their propensity for serious accidents or that alternative transportation is easier to find. Some suggest that the internet decreased the need for young people to drive.

Whatever stance taken on the cause of the declining driver's licenses, it's clear that a majority of drivers are not in love with the car. Both women and young drivers are trending towards less time commuting in more efficient vehicles. How the auto industry will respond is yet to be seen.