A survey conducted by a UK insurance company has revealed that just 5% of women in that country are the sole drivers of their motorhomes. In contrast, the poll showed that 51% of motorhomes are driven only by men.
Comfort Insurance, which specialises in insuring RVs, was keen to find out whether most motorhomes were driven just by women, just by men, or by both genders.
After seeing the data, Comfort Insurance’s Marketing Manager, Charlotte Davies, says she wants to see more women prepared to hit the open road.
“When asking other women who love their motorhome trips, why they don’t drive one, the main reason is confidence when driving and manoeuvring,” she said. “However, there are motorhome manoeuvring courses available which will help build up assurance when on the roads.”
It seems, however, that there are big differences between the motorhoming cultures in different western countries. While www.thegreynomads.com.au hasn’t seen any figures relating specifically to Australian female motorhome drivers, the picture in America is very different to that in the UK.
“We’ve seen that in the USA, single women over 50 are one of the fastest groups of motorhome buyers,” said Ms Davies. “The main reasons include being divorced, having more disposable income and the growing ageing population.”
She said that more female solo travellers should be encouraged to get involved and meeting up with other travelers was a great way of building confidence.
“Hopefully we will start to see more females venturing out alone and enjoying time on the road in their motorhomes or campervans in the near future,” she said.
Do you think there are more solo women motorhome drivers here than in the UK? Are you a solo woman motorhome driver? Do you think the percentage mix of male and women RV drivers is changing? Comment below.
Ummm. Why? My wife can drive our Winnebago Longreach any time she likes. She CHOOSES not to. Remember that? When women had choice without being bombarded by feminist intellectuals who never set foot outside universities telling them what the should be doing? Now we have this smug female Marketing Manager again telling women what they SHOULD be doing regarding driving RVs at a time when they hopefully feel beyond all this social engineering bull dust, and doing what they chose to do.
I don’t mind my wife driving provided she does not go out of sight and comes back to pick me up
As a solo station wagon driver while tenting for several years, I saw it an age related thing to venture into solo motorhome driving! Not a difficult issue at all. Just get your head around small and tight areas are not for a larger vehicle. Drive safely as you would in a car and when on the open road, it is not different than driving a car. As the camera on the back, assists with how to reverse and where you can, helps tremendously. Using the side mirrors is also a bonus, as you can see much better than in a car. Judging and learning how things work, is about putting your thinking cap on before you negotiate where and what you want to do. People, particularly women, tell me that they would not be game to go on their own. I have a thought, that I can stay on my home and surrounding four walls, and still get run over by a bus!!! So I plan on travelling around OZ in the not too distant future, without any qualms whatsoever.
Why aren’t there more women behind the wheel? Cos there’s only room for one at a time.
As I travel alone I am the only driver I have driven all over this great land. Not a problem
Women should know how to drive or tow the family RV. If they choose not to that is fine also BUT, come on girls “It can’t be too difficult if men do it.” I tow a full van with a Mazda BT50 and am still gobsmacked by the looks I get from men when I can put the van onsite or hitch it in one go.