14 Nov Women in the Essex are ‘better’ drivers than men, research reveals
Are men or women better drivers? The age-old debate has raged across the dashboard since driving licenses were introduced in 1903 – and the confusion has finally been cleared up.
New data obtained by Confused.com has found that women in the East of England are in fact safer drivers than men, despite female motorists across the country having been wrongly accused of being ‘bad drivers’ for many years. And this conclusion comes from an analysis of car insurance data in the region, as well as recorded motoring offences in the region – the majority of which were committed by men.
According to the data, 44,087 drivers across the East of England were convicted in court for motoring offences in 2018(1). But men are the worst culprits, accounting for a staggering 36,313 (82%) of the offences, compared to 7,774 women. This could explain why women in the region are paying £53 less for their car insurance than men, on average, according to the latest car insurance price index by Confused.com. The index revealed that female motorists in the region now pay £633, compared to the whopping £686 which is paid by male drivers, on average.
Over the course of last year, drivers in the East of England were convicted in court for dozens of different motoring offences, including speeding and driving while disqualified. However, looking at the data in more detail, there seems to be one area in particular which is riddled with offenders. Essex accounted for the most number of offences in the region, with 16,047 motorists convicted in court to hear their fate. And it may not come as a surprise to learn that men were once again the worst offenders, outweighing women almost five to one. In total, 13,321 male motorists reportedly broke the law on the road, compared to just 2,726 women.
Confused.com research has been compiled into an interactive animation – The Gender Gap in 100 Drivers – and reveals women win in this battle of the sexes, having been wrongly accused of being ‘bad drivers’ for many years. And this – perhaps controversially – has led to them having cheaper car insurance premiums.
