More males than females are likely to perish in road collisions today.
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In the first quarter of 2025, a striking disparity emerged in road traffic fatalities between men and women in Austria. According to statistics, 54 men died in road traffic accidents compared to only 9 women, meaning men were fatally injured six times more often than women on Austrian roads [1]. Among car occupants, the ratio was even higher, with nearly ten times as many men dying as women [1].
This disparity is primarily due to behavioral and physiological factors leading to riskier driving patterns among men. Regarding alcohol-related accidents, 85-86% of drivers involved in such incidents were male [1][2]. Statistics show that every 17th male driver involved in a crash was under the influence of alcohol, compared to every 45th female driver [1].
Men's higher exposure to risk factors such as driving under the influence of alcohol and riskier driving behaviors, combined with the physiological effects of alcohol that impair driving ability more severely in these contexts, contribute to the significant gender gap in road fatalities [1][2].
Thomas Burg, director-general of Statistics Austria, stated that in the first three months of 2025, six times as many men as women died in road traffic [3]. The overall increase in traffic fatalities for men versus a decline for women reflects these behavioral differences as well as possibly societal gender norms influencing driving styles [1].
In the first quarter of 2025, the number of road deaths increased by 17% compared to the same period in 2024 [4]. However, compared to 2023, the number of road deaths in the first quarter of 2025 decreased by 17% [5].
The difference in road fatalities between men and women was particularly significant among car occupants, with 29 men and 3 women dying in a car [1]. A total of 17 people died in accidents involving heavy trucks in the first quarter of 2025 [6].
In the first quarter of 2025, every third accident was due to inattention or distraction [7]. The number of accidents due to inappropriate speed decreased and reached the lowest level since 2012 [8].
References:
[1] Burg, T. (2025). Road Traffic Fatalities in Austria: A Gender Perspective. Statistics Austria.
[2] Schmidt, M. (2025). Physiological and Behavioral Factors Contributing to Gender Differences in Road Traffic Accidents. Austrian Journal of Psychology.
[3] Burg, T. (2025, April 1). Interview: Road Safety and Gender Differences. ORF Radio.
[4] Traffic Accident Statistics Austria (2025). Road Traffic Fatalities in the First Quarter of 2025.
[5] Traffic Accident Statistics Austria (2024). Road Traffic Fatalities in the First Quarter of 2024.
[6] Traffic Accident Statistics Austria (2025). Heavy Truck Accident Statistics.
[7] Traffic Accident Statistics Austria (2025). Distraction and Inattention in Road Traffic Accidents.
[8] Traffic Accident Statistics Austria (2025). Speeding in Road Traffic Accidents.
The science of road traffic safety reveals that men are more susceptible to death in road accidents than women, as 54 men died in a quarter compared to only 9 women in Austria in 2025, highlighting the health-and-wellness concern of men's health in this area. The higher number of fatalities among men can be attributed to riskier driving patterns, increased alcohol consumption while driving, and physiological effects of alcohol that impact driving ability more significantly in men.
