Whiplash claim news
09/08/2010

Driven to distraction male motorists and short skirts

It is hardly a statistic that does much to recommend the intelligence, fortitude and attention span of men, but it is also one that is all too easy to believe: 29% of male drivers admit to being distracted by women wearing short skirts in summer, risking car accidents, whiplash claims and worse.

This is a scenario borne out by car accident and whiplash claim statistics too: car insurance company Sheila's Wheels has found that men make 16.4% more claims during the summer months than at any other time of the year.

A spokesperson from the insurance company commented, "A car is a dangerous weapon in the hands of a distracted driver and a momentary lapse can lead to a lifetime of regret if a serious accident occurs."

While a behavioural psychologist explains, "Testosterone… plays a part, as it makes men more prone to aggression, especially when frustrated by a confined space such as a car - and men are quicker than women to expose such irritability in hot weather."

Worryingly for men who can't keep their eyes on the road, they may incur liability for whiplash claims if it is proved that their inattention has been the cause of a car crash.