WOMEN OVERTAKE MEN IN THE SAFE DRIVING STAKES

For years, women motorists have suffered jokes from men about their driving ability. But a recent survey of 1000 drivers, conducted by Green Flag Motoring Assistance and the road safety charity Brake, revealed that women are actually safer on the roads than men in many ways.

Green Flag spokesperson Nigel Charlesworth comments: We found women were less likely than men to take risks such as speeding, driving the morning after a heavy drinking session, driving when tired or using a mobile phone behind the wheel. Men however are generally more conscientious about car maintenance, such as checking tyre tread and pressure."

The survey revealed:
 Women are more willing to receive additional driver training, such as advanced driving courses, than men (44% of women compared with 29% of men)
 However, more men than women have actually received further training (28% of men compared with 12% of women)
 Women are less likely to speed in towns than men (32% of women compared with 50% of men)
 Women are half as likely to risk driving at 7am if they have had a lot to drink the night before (11% of women compared with 22% of men)
 Women are less likely to have fallen asleep at the wheel than men (6% of women compared to 20% of men)
 Women are less likely to use a mobile phone while driving than men (30% of women compared with 44% of men).

The research was conducted as part of an in-depth study of the nations motorists, which Brake and Green Flag Motoring Assistance hope will encourage people to think more carefully about the consequences of their driving habits.
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2/WOMEN OVERTAKE MEN IN THE SAFE DRIVING STAKES
Chief executive of Brake, Mary Williams OBE, comments: Men, who typically admit to taking more risks while driving than women, need to re-discover their feminine side, while women should remember that components on their cars can be crucial to safety - not just toys for boys. With 66 deaths on our roads every week, none of us can afford to be complacent. To stop the blight of road deaths and injuries on our communities, we all need to commit to putting safety first every time we drive."

The survey also highlights some interesting differences between the sexes in attitudes to driving. More men than women seem to think that being a good driver gives them the right to speed, while fewer women than men believe that having a good set of brakes means they can drive faster.

Women are also more conscientious when it comes to belting up. They are more likely to belt up in the back of a car than men, and also more likely to refuse to carry passengers who wont wear their seatbelts.

Women feel that more speed cameras and traffic police would improve their safety, and would welcome tougher penalties for traffic offences. Women are also tougher on offenders, with most favouring sentences of ten or more years for drunk drivers that cause fatal accidents.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
 Brake interviewed 1000 motorists at selected locations across the UK
 A summary of the research is available at www.greenflag.com
 Green Flag Motoring Assistance provides roadside rescue and recovery to more than 4m customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
 Green Flags incident management centre in Leeds handles around 1m calls each year
 On average, Green Flag reaches customers within 35 minutes (verified by research)
 Green Flag customers give the service a 98 per cent satisfaction rating (based on the results of questionnaires sent to 500,000 customers)

Press Calls
Green Flag Motoring Assistance: Nigel Charlesworth/Melanie Denny 0113 399 1427/1387 (out of hours: 07711 964 615).
E-mail: Public-relations@greenflag.com
Website: www.greenflag.com

Brake: Ben Heatley/Cathy Keeler 01484 559909 (out of hours, 07989 478436)
E-mail: policy@brake.org.uk
Website: www.brake.org.uk