From left, Fletcher, Irons and Hibbert.

Burning tyres and whizzing cars are narcotics to male drivers who feed on the adrenaline-pumping rush of road racing. But the deadly cocktail of long hours, reckless driving and road rage often leave many lying six feet under.

"It's an ego thing," says Kenute Hare, accident analyst at the Road Safety Unit, in reference to the preponderance of male fatalities. Hare also says men take more risks on the road, engaging in perilous manoeuvres such as overtaking at corners.

Hare states the Road Safety Unit will commence a study in the 2009-2010 period to analyse the sociological and psychological behaviour of males and females in relation to traffic fatalities.

Paula Fletcher, executive director of the National Road Safety Council, attributes the high fatality rate to testosterone, the male sex hormone. Fletcher contrasted the stereotypical risk and adventurousness of men to the prudence of female motorists who drive more carefully.

Racing

Fletcher says there are more male drivers than female drivers, and notes that a significant number of the male fatalities are linked to crashes involving public passenger vehicles. These carriers, whether illegal or legal, include drivers for hire and cabbies, who race each other to get passengers.

There has been an 11 per cent decrease in the number of road fatalities for the period January-June 2008 compared to last year's statistics.

According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica's website, as at January this year, there were 976,700 males and 1,014,400 females 14 years and older.

Power extensions

"Women recognise their limits and boundaries. They don't see their vehicles as power extensions as themselves," states psychologist, Dr Aggrey Irons.

Irons says socialisation is another major factor driving male fatalities. He says females are not socialised to be the "brutish beasts" some men were trained to become. Irons argues that many men are risk takers and don't know their limits.

Superintendent Fred Hibbert, head of the Police Traffic Department, agrees with Hare and Fletcher that too many male motorists are daredevils. Hibbert also says the psychology of males is different from females.

In order to prevent more fatal accidents, the traffic chief says the police would continue to beef up their presence on the streets in line with the force's zero-tolerance policy.

Do you agree that most men are egotistical daredevils? Email your views to editorial@gleanerjm.com.