MANCHESTER, England A report by Professor Geoff Beattie for the U.K. car insurance company esure says young men are riskier drivers mainly because they are hard-wired for aggressiveness. His report, entitled "Sex Differences in Driving and Insurance Risk," suggests that evolutionary psychology can provide a better explanation of why young men are more prone to accidents and tickets on British roads.
"Our 21st-century skulls contain essentially 'stone age' brains, and this can help to explain the differences between the sexes in terms of their risk proneness while driving," says Professor Beattie, Head of School and Dean of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester.
The report also highlights the fact that women are much more likely to empathize and forgive common invasions of personal space by other drivers, like tailgating or cutting someone off, whereas men's brains will tend to lead them down the path of hostility.
Professor Beattie concludes the report by saying men's natural tendency to behave aggressively behind the wheel can be overcome. According to him, "Education is the key to changing risky behavior." The report was created in response to the U.K. government's target to cut automotive-related casualties in half by 2010.
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