Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 20, 1992                   TAG: 9203200224
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTA                                LENGTH: Short

DEATH RATE RISES FOR FEMALE DRIVERS

"It is very clear from our analysis that the patterns of driving are different for women than they are for men," said Mike Brownlee of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Trends that occur for men don't seem to be happening with women."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control published a study Thursday by Brownlee's agency that said the number of female drivers involved in fatal crashes is on the rise. The number caught driving drunk is declining only slightly.

However, the total number of traffic fatalities in 1990 - 44,529 - is the lowest since 1985. The number of men killed has dropped, and the number of drunken male drivers is declining rapidly, the study said.

Because men traditionally have been at high risk, particularly from drunken driving or speeding, "prevention and intervention programs typically have been targeted toward males," the study said.

"Information may need to be targeted toward women about the effects of alcohol on performance and the differences between women and men in alcohol metabolism."

Men still account for most traffic fatalities - 30,866 in 1990 compared with 13,635 among women. The numbers don't add up to the national total because some victims couldn't be identified by sex, the CDC said.

Keywords:
FATALITY