Everyone is on the roads, whether men or women, Jews or Arabs, ultra-Orthodox and secular. Is it possible to determine that a particular group behaves better than another?
Let’s start by busting a myth. Against the common claim that men drive better than women, the data reveal that men are involved in over 80% of traffic accidents. The assumption is that this happens because men tend to take risks and show excessive self-confidence, which manifests in driving less carefully. The decisive conclusion, in this case, is that the road is much safer when women are behind the wheel.
Psychological and sociological variables
What happens when you compare young people’s driving with mature drivers? Secular vs. religious, Jews vs. Arabs, divorced vs. married?
A French study reveals that divorced couples or those living in an unstable family unit are more likely to be involved in a severe accident than those in a healthy marital system. Psychology and sociology greatly influence how we drive.
How about religious and secular people? We didn’t find studies about this question. Still, an article written by Prof. Tova Rosenblum, a traffic psychologist from Bar Ilan University and head of the Institute for the study of the Human Factor in Traffic Accidents, provides a rather interesting explanation.
Prof. Rosenblum examined three ultra-Orthodox and three secular cities and found that traffic violations in ultra-Orthodox cities were three times more common than in secular cities. “People of faith feel that they are watched over from above,” explained Prof. Rosenblum in an interview with “Israel Hayom” newspaper. She says, “They are characterized by less fear of death than seculars. Demographically, since every ultra-Orthodox family has more than four children, mothers find it difficult to watch over their children while crossing the streets. Furthermore, in Bnei Brak, the apartments are small, making the streets their playground, which puts them at greater risk. Another reason is that the rate of drivers in ultra-Orthodox society is low compared to the general population. We found that the more a person drives, the more careful he is as a pedestrian,” she explained.
19% of those who hold driver’s licenses, 52% of those involved in fatal accidents
When talking about differences in driving between sectors in the state of Israel, it is inevitable to refer to the prevailing situation in Arab society. A confidential report by the Israel Police was recently leaked to the media, and its data indicate a problematic picture.
The Arab sector in the State of Israel constitutes 21% of the general population. 19% of the Israeli drivers are Arabs. But this number soars regarding Arab drivers’ involvement in fatal traffic accidents. The latest report reinforces the data found in previous studies conducted in Israel on Arab society’s driving culture.
In one report compiled by the Green Light Association in March 2021 (you can find the complete information here), The rate of deaths from the Arab sector in road accidents reached about 30%.
This is not a genetic question but a collection of sociological, geographic, and socio-cultural variables which characterizes the Arab society in Israel. The majority of the Arab community lives in the periphery and relies more on private vehicles; there are many young drivers, sometimes younger than allowed by law, poor infrastructure, and partial enforcement. –
Drivers of all sectors make prohibited use of the phone
The only topic with no social differences (except perhaps young people vs. adults) is the “cell phone distractions,” a generative factor in many traffic accidents.
When it comes to prohibited cell phone use while driving, no social group is disadvantaged: Jews and Arabs, rich and poor, secular and religious – all are caught texting while driving.
For years, lawmakers and manufacturers have been looking for a way to stop the dangerous use of cell phones while driving. Many resources have been invested in legislation, deterrence, education, and enforcement. Still, people from all sectors are killed in accidents resulting from mobile distractions.
We at SaverOne have developed a unique technology to prevent cell phone distractions while driving, our technology recognizes the driver’s phone when the vehicle is in motion and immediately blocks disruptive applications.
The good news is that now there is an answer that suits everyone – regardless of age, religion, and gender. All sectors will be safer using the SaverOne system.
