The findings are enough to make former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson blow a gasket but a study by UK insurance company Privilege into the driving habits of both sexes has found that women are better drivers than men.
The report debunks the myth that women just use the mirrors to check their make-up – eight in 10 look before they make a move, compared with just over four in 10 men.
The 1,383 study participants were rated on habits such as aggressive tailgating, sticking to speed limits or cutting corners on turns with the women nosing out in front with an overall score of 23.6 out of 30 and men on 19.8.
Women were found to be miles better at sticking to the speed limit, were less likely to cut dangerously across traffic and were better at judging the right speed for the situation ahead.
The research found women were also less likely to have a negative impact on other road users.
Men, on the other hand, were regular traffic light jumpers with more than half racing through on amber compared with just 14% of women, the Daily Mirror reported.
Tailgating was also a male trait with more than a quarter of men being guilty compared with less than one in 10 women.
Men were also the worst offenders for driving and using a mobile phone with a quarter guilty of texting or chatting without using a hands-free set compared to 16% of women.
Women were firmly in the driving seat when it came to negotiating the traffic with just 1% cutting dangerously into traffic while 14% of men were happy to do so.
But men did fare better in some areas. They were seen to be more in control of the car and had the edge when checking blind spots by looking over their shoulders.
TV driving instructor Neil Beeson, star of Last Chance Driving School, said he was surprised by the results.
“In my experience men have always been the best learners and usually performed better in lessons. However, it’s possible that women have retained the information better.”
Head of car insurance at Privilege, Charlotte Fielding, added: “The research has shown that there is a really big discrepancy between how men think they drive and how they actually drive.”
