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Sexism at the wheel: France wants more women drivers

The Local France
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Sexism at the wheel: France wants more women drivers
Photo: State Farm/Flickr

France’s senate has published a report blasting the fact that when it comes to cars women suffer from a lack of égalité and it's the men causing all the accidents.

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The Senate report was perfectly timed to coincide with the start of the Paris car show and looked at the lack of égalité on the roads in France.

It laments the sexism in the world of automobiles in France and wants to tackle stereotypes and ensure more women obtain a driving license.

Titled “Women and cars” the senators Chantal Jouanno and Christiane Hummel said it was time to end the stereotypes around women drivers – in particular the myth that they are more dangerous than men.

They produced the stats to back them up, notably the fact that men were involved in 92 percent of all fatal accidents where drivers were over the legal alcohol limit. And 83 percent of those convicted for manslaughter after a fatal driving accident were men.

Photo: Gosh/Flickr

The senators also wanted to get to the bottom of why the rate of women passing their driving test was 10 percent less than men.

They recommend that the driving centres found to have low level pass rates among women be taken to task. It was suggested that one of the reasons fewer women pass their practical driving test is because most examiners are men. The senators want data to be collected to show the pass rates of women when their examiner is a man.

Failing to obtain a driving license is seen as preventing women from progressing both socially and professionally.

The report also lamented that the auto industry in France is overwhelmingly dominated by men, whereas the sector could offer women a huge array of jobs.

Some 78 percent of those employed in the automobile industry in France are men, while 75 percent of women working in the sector are filling administrative roles.

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