Driving: Speed Divas

When imagining an aggressive driver, many people picture a testosterone-fueled male. But when it comes to speeding, a new study suggests the culprit more often has a female face.

Paul B. Harris, psychology professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, studied drivers in Japan and the United States, both nations enamored of cars. He finds women report more fast driving, while aggressive driving - defined as horn-honking, rude gestures and accelerating to prevent passing - is largely a male pursuit.

Sensation-seeking women are especially likely to drive fast in both countries. But while speedsters in Japan said they felt a sense of freedom when driving fast, American women said they were fueled by hostility. Harris presented his research at the meeting of the American Psychological Association.

The U.S. government blames speeding for 12,000 traffic fatalities each year.