This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Male drivers in Utah are seven times more likely than women to be in deadly alcohol-related traffic accidents, a new study says.
Utah men are also about three times more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents of any type, and 2.3 times more likely to be in fatal speed-related accidents — suggesting that males in Utah (and the nation) may take more risks while driving.
That's according to a study by CheapCarInsurance.net using federal accident data for 2014.
It said Utah ranked ninth lowest among the states for fatal, alcohol-related accidents involving female drivers. It was tenth lowest for such accidents involving male drivers.
"Utah's number of alcohol–related driving fatalities is encouragingly low, regardless of gender. Still any alcohol-related driving fatality is a tragedy, and we hope to see improvement in Utah and across the country," said Anthony King, spokesman for the study's research team.
Female drivers were involved in five fatal alcohol-related accidents in 2014, for a rate of 0.36 per 100,000 women in the state. Male drivers were involved in 35 such accidents, for a rate of 2.52 per 100,000 males — seven times higher than women.
King said he is not sure why that is the case, but part of it may be that more Utah Mormons — a church that preaches against drinking alcohol — are women than men.
"A 2011 study by Trinity College determined 60 percent of Utah Mormons are women. The same study noted 57 percent of the state's population identifies as Mormon. That means that by extension, a smaller portion of Utah's female population consumes alcohol at all. We might find a plausible explanation in that fact," he said.
Still, he said "both genders in Utah are commendable in this category." He noted that even the rate for Utah men involved in drunken-driving fatalities is far below the national average for males, 2.52 per 100,000 men compared to a national average of 3.5.