title: Car and motorcycle deaths: an evolutionary perspective.
abstract: Our aim was to assess differences between men and women in the likelihood of exposure to traffic as drivers of cars and motorcycles, and in the risk of dying from a car or a motorcycle crash, in order to verify the extent to which Darwin's Sexual Selection Theory could have predicted the findings and can help to interpret them. Study population was composed of men and women aged 18 to 60 years residents in the state of Rio de Janeiro between 2004 and 2010, and in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2001 and 2010. We built frequency distribution tables and drew bar charts in order to check whether there were differences between the sexes and interactions of sex with age. More men exposed themselves to and died in traffic than women, especially the young. Society should have an especially vigilant attitude towards men on the wheel due to their increased innate tendency to exposure to risk. Darwin's sexual selection theory can be an important ally when postulating hypotheses and interpreting epidemiological findings aiming at improving public policies to reduce the excessive number of traffic deaths, especially in societies where machismo is strong or the stimulus to masculinity is exaggerated.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. R. São Francisco Xavier 524/Pavilhão João Lyra Filho/7° andar/blocos D e E, Maracanã. 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.
authors.forename: André Luís Dos Santos
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. R. São Francisco Xavier 524/Pavilhão João Lyra Filho/7° andar/blocos D e E, Maracanã. 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.|Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nadanovsky
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult