Lady drivers and boy racers test their skills
Katy Morton
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
More than 70 nursery children became racing car drivers for the day when their skills were put to the test in an experiment to determine whether boys or girls are naturally the better drivers.
Three- and four-year-olds from Springles Day Nursery in West Kingsdown and Springfield Lodge Day Nursery in Dartford, Kent, took part in tests on electric ride-on cars at Brands Hatch racetrack.
The experiment was the idea of the makers of children's TV programme 'Roary the Racing Car', who worked with Brands Hatch motoring experts and child psychologist Donna Dawson.
FIA Formula Two championship driver Jack Clarke and Brands Hatch senior driving instructor Alan Wilshire gave children marks out of ten for concentration, spatial awareness, dexterity, control and speed, as they drove in a straight line, reversed, and manoeuvred around cones.
The boys proved 34 per cent better at concentrating and demonstrating visual-spatial skills while driving in a straight line.
However, the girls beat the boys on speed, had better dexterity, showed greater focus and listened more intently to instructions.
Ms Dawson said, 'We expected the boys would do better than the girls - from an early age they tend to be more confident around mechanical objects.'
'Genetic differences between boys and girls are visible from birth because of the way the brain is structured. Children are also shaped by cultural expectations, for instance the idea that boys are naturally better at driving.'
Springfield Lodge pre-school team leader Carole Fissenden said, 'It was a really good day and very well organised. The children were so excited about driving the cars and behaved impeccably, even when they had to wait their turn.'
FURTHER INFORMATION
Watch the children in the driving tests at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKvBIVQ_370
