- Related: How Pinoys Drive Today
Are men really better drivers? A global
study says otherwise
Sexism
is a common occurrence on Philippine roads. When a female driver makes any
seemingly unwise decisions or maneuvers on the road, people are quick to reason
out “Kaya pala, babae kasi (It’s a woman
driving, that’s why),” and move on. This type of reasoning is still
prevalent among Filipinos nowadays, but are men really better drivers?
This
is one of the things that Shell discovered through the Shell Driving
Experiment, a groundbreaking worldwide study that uses cutting-edge emotion
tracking technology, ChatBots, mobile apps, and weather and traffic information
to uncover how the emotions of drivers affect their performance on the road.
Shell worked with experts from Goldsmiths, University of London, to monitor
data points from over 2,000 participants across 11 countries in order to
measure the driver performance score of each country and learn about the
different factors that affect it.
The
results of the study were revealed during the ‘What Drives You’ launch event on
February 27, which featured interactive installations and a panel of
specialists discussing the research findings. The panelists included Cleary
Ahern, a Doctoral Researcher from Goldsmiths, University of London. Ahern was
then joined by other panelists composed of subject matter experts including
motoring enthusiast and actor Jericho Rosales, champion racer Michele Bumagarner,
and health and diet guru Nadine Tengco.
Women aren’t the inferior sex
After
Philippine participants logged in more than 1,700 journeys across three key
areas – Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao – the Shell Driving Experiment uncovered
several interesting findings about Filipino drivers.
The
experiment busted the myth that driving performance is dictated by gender.
There was no evidence that gender having any significant influence on driving
performance. The biggest indicator of how well a person performs behind the
wheel is, in fact, their personality type. Two unique, high-performing
personality types among Filipino drivers were even uncovered by the study: the
Modern Man and the Gamma Woman.
The
Modern Man is the type of driver who has a unique combination of sensitive and
ambitious personality traits, leading to their ability to maintain a
well-balanced emotional state behind the wheel. They adapt well to any
situation in life and exercise cautiousness on the road to achieve outstanding
driver performance scores. The Gamma Woman on the other hand is known for their
openness and emotional stability both on and off the road, leading to
exceptional driving performance scores.
The
study also revealed that among the different countries that took part in the
study, the Philippines achieved the highest driving performance score. This
means that Filipinos, regardless of gender, have smoother journeys (less incidents
of harsh acceleration and harsh braking) and are more efficient than other
drivers from participating countries such as Malaysia, Germany, and the
Netherlands.
The other factors that come into
play
Family
has always played a big part in the lives of Filipinos, and this was apparent
in the Shell Driving Experiment. Evidence linking the presence of children and
additional passengers in the car to better driving performance was consistent
throughout the study.
The
Shell Driving Experiment also confirmed that stress is a constant emotion felt
by Filipinos on the road. Destination is also another factor, with findings
showing that drivers who are on their way to work are more stressed than those
who are on the road for other purposes.
Even
the food we eat plays a role in the driving performance of Filipinos.
Participants of the study who reported feeling hungry during their journey had
lower driver performance scores.
Giving importance to every ride
“The
Shell Driving Experiment is part of Shell’s efforts to understand the changing
needs of our customers,” shares Anthony Lawrence Yam, Vice President for Retail
at PIlipinas Shell. “This helps us create better products and services, such as
developing new fuels like Shell V-Power with DYNAFLEX Technology and the
expansion of our non-fuel offers at Shell Select, which are relevant in
improving the driving experience of Filipinos. At the end of the day, our goal is
to help make life’s journeys better for every Filipino on the road.”
By
providing quality fuel products and services to motorists around the world,
Shell gained its foothold as a global leader in power and energy. It pioneers
next generation technology in developing new sources for a reliable energy mix,
producing smarter products as well as promoting smarter use. Shell strives to
build smarter infrastructure and provide energy efficient engineering solutions
that promote clean and efficient transport and sustainable mobility.
Through
finding out and understanding how Filipinos feel and what really matters most
for Filipinos, Shell continues its mission to enable every motorist to go well
on the road, wherever they want to go.
Source: Shell Phil
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