Study: Most males think they’re better than the average driver
Overconfident male drivers who believe they could take on a croc labelled ‘dummies’It’s good to have confidence in your abilities but new research has revealed the frightening level of overconfidence most Australian men have in their driving skills.
In fact, 77 per cent of adult male drivers in Australia believe they are better than the average driver, while some even think they could beat a crocodile in a fight.
The startling new findings come from a study commissioned by Continental Tyres, which asked over 3000 Australian male drivers (aged 18 and over) a series of questions including whether they think they could change a tyre in under two minutes (just 2% said yes) or land a plane safely (13% said yes).
When asked if they thought they could drive a semi-trailer if they had to, 44% of those surveyed said yes, while 11% said they could drive safely on bald tyres if required.
Incredibly, 5% said they could fight off a crocodile and live to tell the tale, while 27% said they could defeat a horse, 4% said they could take on a gorilla, and 3% said they’d be able to fight a lion.
But the alarming level of overconfidence in their ability behind the wheel – one in eight rated their driving abilities as ‘above average’ – was the major take-away, with men’s psychology expert, Craig Hyde-Smith, citing several contributing factors including higher testosterone levels, social pressures, and risk-taking tendencies.
“Men can score higher in the illusion of control bias, which is when we overestimate our ability to control outcomes that are largely determined by external factors or chance,” he said.
“Research has also shown that testosterone can be linked to increased risk-taking behaviour. Finally, social norms and expectations can increase pressure on men to appear confident and competent, and this can translate into overconfidence.”
This overestimation of their driving ability also poses a major risk on the road this Christmas, according to Continental Tyres, which is now calling on Aussie men to stop being ‘dummies’ on and off the road this festive season.
Just 1% of those surveyed rated themselves as ‘bad’ drivers, while 22% claimed they were ‘average’.
Age is another factor, with Gen X men (born 1965-1980) standing out as the most overconfident – 81% of Gen X respondents rated themselves as ‘above average’ or ‘amazing’ on the road, while Gen Y (78%), Baby Boomers (75%), and Gen Z (73%) were more modest in their outlook.
To help curb this overconfidence and encourage safer driving habits amongst Australians, the tyre manufacturer has created a series of light-hearted educational videos to highlight the potential risks of overconfidence.?
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