Gender differences in the Swedish driving-license test.
BACKGROUND
Male drivers between 18-24 years are involved in many more motor-vehicle accidents than female drivers in Sweden. Is there also a gender difference in test performance in the Swedish driving-license tests? Is it a real difference or do any of the items display differential item functioning (DIF) with respect to gender or educational background?


METHODS
Two random samples of test-takers' performance on the Swedish theory driving-license test were examined with descriptive and inference statistics.


RESULTS
Female test-takers performed better than male test-takers on the theory test, which is a real difference since no items displayed DIF with respect to gender. There was no gender difference in the practical test. The gender difference in the theory test could not be fully explained by differences in educational background.


CONCLUSIONS
Although everyone who passes the driving-license test has fulfilled the goals stated in the curriculum, it is possible that the gender differences in the theory test are consistent over time, and therefore might be one factor that explains why male drivers are over-represented in traffic accidents.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender differences appear persistent over time. Therefore, by improving male test takers' result on the test may lead to positive effects on the male test takers future driving career.
Wiberg
Marie
M
Department of Educational Measurement, Umea University, SE-901 87 Umea, Sweden. marie.wiberg@edmeas.umu.se
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003479:Curriculum; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000193:education*; D012449:Safety; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014930:Women / Q000193:education*