[“SELLING GASOLINE FOR WOMEN IS A CRIME”?]

In Korea, the term “Kim Yeo-sa” or “Madam Kim” is frequently used to refer to women being on the road, including female drivers to portray them as less skilled and slower than men. Similarly, in Vietnam, a common joke when seeing women drive may be, “Don’t let a woman take the wheel.” But why do women confront so many biases in something widely regarded as ordinary —driving?

“Selling gasoline for women is a crime!”. This is just one of the countless so-called "jokes" made when women are behind the wheel. Unintentionally, such remarks have reinforced barriers of prejudices against women drivers.

According to social norms, women are often known for their meticulousness, carefulness, and finesse in various tasks. However, along with those traits, many people believe that they do not really have enough skills and reflexes to confidently take control of a vehicle. Especially for female drivers working in the transportation industry, which usually requires high concentration, quick reflexes and response skills, these prejudices have even become inherent skepticism. ¹Ms. Lee Yeon Ji, founder of the Unnie Car program and also a female driver with a passion for speed in Korea, said: “The people I meet on the street or in the auto repair shop at first assume that I am not a good driver and lack knowledge about cars because I am a woman. Then, when they realize that I understand those things, they say: ‘You are a woman, but you’re so good.’”

So, what about everyday traffic situations?

Even minor difficulties in parking or slightly slower reactions to unexpected situations on the road can easily lead to women being labelled as poor drivers. It is undeniable that the cause comes from the level and ability to control the vehicle; however, most of these judgments originate from the fact that others have an overly stereotypical view of women. In some exceptional cases, such judgments are unnecessarily exaggerated. For example, traffic accidents involving women often receive more attention despite their lower rate of causing traffic accidents compared to men. According to Injury Invention, a reputable public health magazine in the UK, men driving cars and trucks are twice as likely as women to cause serious accidents. For cargo trucks, this ratio between men and women is 4:1. Especially with motorcycles, male drivers are 10 times more likely to cause serious accidents than female drivers. The media’s approach to these incidents also raises many big questions: from sensational headlines like “Female drivers cause accidents…” (or even “Female reckless drivers”), accompanied by exaggerated content and a series of horrific aftermath photos. Meanwhile, similar information about traffic accidents caused by men is only referred to very generally by the word “Driver…”. More notably, most of the concern surrounding the issue of women driving largely focuses on gender-related reasons rather than an objective analysis of the actual circumstances.  ²According to Injury Invention, a reputable public health magazine in the UK, men driving cars and trucks are twice as likely as women to cause serious accidents. For cargo trucks, this ratio between men and women is 4:1. Especially with motorcycles, male drivers are 10 times more likely to cause serious accidents than female drivers. The media’s approach to these incidents also raises many big questions: from sensational headlines like “Female drivers cause accidents…” (or even “Female reckless drivers”), accompanied by exaggerated content and a series of horrific aftermath photos. Meanwhile, similar information about traffic accidents caused by men is only referred to very generally by the word “Driver…”. More notably, most of the concern surrounding the issue of women driving largely focuses on gender-related reasons rather than an objective analysis of the actual circumstances. 

WHEN PREJUDICE BECOMES A HINDRANCE

Initially, the controversy around women driving might seem understandable. However, beneath the surface, these invisible barriers have both direct and indirect effects on women's participation in traffic.

The first "hit" from these prejudices is on women’s mentality when driving. Many women may feel a lack of confidence or uncertainty about their abilities. On a larger scale, it may have an impact on job opportunities for female drivers. Looking at recruiting information from some transportation companies, it is rare to see images of female drivers with specialized vehicles like container trucks or semi-trailers. Even in businesses linked to e-commerce platforms or retail locations, the number of female drivers is not high, though the job in those places seems more accessible. In the long run, questioning women’s safety as drivers further delays progress in gender equality. This largely stems from a rigid perspective that resists re-evaluating and adapting to reality fairly and objectively.

FIRMLY GRIPPING THE WHEEL - ON THE ROAD AND IN LIFE

Despite prejudices that claim women are incapable in the transportation sector, there are women who have proven their resilience, courage, and skill. Ngô Hạnh has been a container truck driver for seven years. Before committing to this profession, she faced strong opposition from her family and loved ones. Similarly, Phạm Thị Thu Thảo, a train driver on Metro Line 1, Ho Chi Minh City, had a stable job before making an unexpected career shift: becoming the only female train driver on this metro line. She shared: "At first, everyone said this job was for men, but I believe that’s not true, because as long as you have passion and love for that job, you can do it well no matter what your gender is."³

From these stories, it is clear that gender-based prejudices in the transportation industry are baseless and overly generalized. Women totally have abilities and bravery to sit behind the wheel, participate in traffic safely, and handle jobs that demand precision and responsibility. We need media campaigns as well as practical initiatives just like the way we have done for women in other fields for many years. Together with this are comprehensive, professional, and hands-on training programs, which should be developed to create learning environments and career opportunities for women who are passionate about this field. Most importantly, we must have an open and fair perspective when evaluating an individual's abilities rather than solely judging by gender. After all, safety is not determined by gender but by skills and experience. Regardless of age or gender, everyone needs time to master the wheel, both on the road and in life.

Reference materials:
¹According to The Korea Times, 17/02/2023

²According to Injury Invention

³According to Báo Tuổi trẻ Online, 12/11/2024

⁴According to Báo Tuổi trẻ Online, 18/12/2024

Author: Nguyễn Thu Trang

Translators: Bùi Ngọc Linh, Nguyễn Thanh Hải