Although female drivers have been the subject of comic sketches and cartoons, male drivers --at least those over a certain age -- are more likely to be involved in accidents on snowy and icy roads.

This comes as the Midwest gears up for winter driving season. A Purdue University researcher also found that in addition to being more prone to accidents during the winter, older men who drive pickup trucks are even more likely to crash. Fred Mannering suspects that this is a consequence of a false sense of security created by 4-wheel drive and the larger vehicle.

The study, conducted by Purdue's Center for Road Safety, also found that younger men are more likely to be involved on serious accidents on dry roads. The project analyzed more than 23,000 law enforcement accident reports.

Female drivers are more likely to crash on rain-slicked roads. The study also found that women are slow down more on ice and snow than men of any age. Fred Manning, the project investigator, found in an earlier study that the introduction of air bags, antilock brakes, and other safety equipment had not resulted in a decline in serious-injury accidents in the 1990s when such equipment because standard in passenger automobiles.

Some numbers:

•· Men under 45 have a 21 percent better chance of suffering severe injury while driving on dry roads

•· Men over 45 are 5 ½ times more likely to be in serious accidents while driving on snow and ice

•· Men over 45 were 81 percent more likely to be injured in serious accidents on snow and ice while driving pickup trucks.

Source: Chicago Tribune, "Different road conditions are a factor in crashes involving male, female drivers, study finds", by Jon Hilkevitch, Dec. 5, 2011.