Fully nine out of 10 fatal automobile accidents in Norway can be blamed on male drivers who took too many risks or were driving too fast and lost control of their cars, police report. They’re suggesting that women take the wheel during the busy summer holiday season.
“Men are more willing to take risks in traffic than women,” Ole Høiby, leader of the state police’s highway patrol (Utrykningspolitiet, UP), told newspaper Dagsavisen on Tuesday. Men, especially those aged 18 to 24, are behind the vast majority of fatal traffic accidents, according to new figures for the first six months of the year.
“There are many women who drive, but it’s most often men who are driving when a couple is out together,” Høiby said. “It’s wise to take turns, especially so the one driving is well-rested.”
A total of 76 persons have died in traffic accidents so far this year, 18 of them women and 58 men. Fatalities hit 18 in June alone, up from 11 in June of last year, and 10 persons have been killed so far in July, compared to 13 for the entire month last year. The numbers make police and traffic safety organization Trygg Trafikk fear that this summer may reverse a trend towards a decline in fatalities.
“Traffic increases in the summer, we drive in areas where we aren’t familiar and good weather can lead to higher speeds,” Tori Grytli of Trygg Trafikk told Dagsavisen. She also cited recklessness, intoxicants and failure to use seat belts as reasons for traffic fatalities.
newsinenglish.no staff
