Sharing the steering wheel between couples: results of research by the MODIS and DEST laboratories

Research into mobility and accidentology shows that women are less likely than men to die on the road, and are less responsible for fatal accidents, despite travelling just as much by car. But these figures do not say who is driving when both members of a couple are in the same car.

To make up for the lack of data on this issue, and to analyze driving practices, the MODIS (Mobilité Durable, Individu, Société) and DEST (Dynamiques économiques et sociales des transports) laboratories at the Université Gustave Eiffel have set up a research project, based on an individual questionnaire survey of a representative sample of the French population in terms of gender, age, CSP, household size and conurbation size. So, man or woman behind the wheel?

The surveys covered trips made by couples on long-distance trips, weekends and vacations, as well as local trips for work, shopping, visiting family or friends, and medical appointments. Respondents were also asked how they felt about driving and sharing the wheel.

Who drives most often?

For shopping and especially for vacations - the two most common reasons for couples to travel - it's the man who drives, for the majority of respondents. For only a small third, it's always or most often the woman who drives.

Who decides who drives?

Whatever the reason for the journey, it's the man who decides who drives, rather than the woman. However, men and women respond differently to this question: 5% of the men surveyed say they are the ones who decide, while the majority of women (50%) say the decision is shared, or made by the man for 33% of them.

Feelings

An analysis of expressed feelings reveals differences between men and women, the latter declaring themselves more often uncomfortable when driving in the presence of their spouses, and more often embarrassed by their criticisms of their driving when they express them.

These data, the first on this theme at national level, will serve as an objective basis for questioning in the context of a doctoral thesis in psychology, aimed at exploring the psychological determinants of shared driving in couples among car drivers and motorcyclists.

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Le laboratoire MODIS (Mobilité Durable, Individu, Société)

Il rassemble des chercheuses et chercheurs unis autour d’une motivation commune à œuvrer dans le sens d’une mobilité inclusive, durable et sûre. Notre approche scientifique est centrée sur les besoins humains, individuels et collectifs, et vise à favoriser une mobilité vivable, viable et équitable, permettant l’utilisation de modes de déplacements plus favorables à l’environnement par tous les usagers. Dans la suite de l’accessibilité universelle et du design for all, les travaux porteront notamment sur les actuels et futurs utilisateurs des modes de déplacements doux et actifs afin d’améliorer le bien-être et la sécurité perçue de ces modes et d’accroitre leur utilisation, et sur les catégories de population ayant des besoins de mobilité et de sécurité spécifiques.

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Le laboratoire Dynamiques économiques et sociales des transports (DEST)

Le transport est confronté à des enjeux majeurs, notamment économiques, sociaux et environnementaux. Face à ces enjeux, les politiques publiques cherchent à orienter l’évolution des systèmes de transport pour qu’ils soient plus durables (sur les trois plans économique, social et environnemental), et de meilleure qualité. Les comportements de mobilité évoluent aussi sous l’influence d’autres facteurs, démographiques et sociétaux. De plus, la demande de transport est fortement liée au système de localisations. L’ensemble de ces dynamiques pose des questions de recherche passionnantes que DEST investit depuis de nombreuses années, et a naturellement intégrées dans la stratégie scientifique de l’Université Gustave Eiffel.