It is a well known fact that women get cheaper car insurance than men because they are statistically safer drivers, but new research from AA car insurance has found that they are also nearly one and half times less likely to have a driving conviction.

This provides further explanation for why car insurance for male motorists can cost a lot more than women’s car insurance, and the figures show that in every region of the UK men are statistically more likely than women to have a driving conviction.

The most common offence is speeding, which accounts for 85 per cent of convictions, followed by jumping traffic lights which represents nine per cent, two per cent are for drink-driving, and 1.5 per cent are convicted for driving without car insurance.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, says it will come as no surprise that young drivers are the most likely to have convictions, which will also push up the price of car insurance for young drivers, and young males are more likely than females.

Almost a quarter of men aged 25-34 have at least one motoring conviction, while for women, the most common age to have a motoring conviction is 35-44.

Overall, 18 per cent of all motorists have at least one driving conviction, and four per cent have at least two.

The overall number of convictions has risen from 14 per cent of drivers having a conviction 10 years ago, which Mr Douglas explains could be due to the increasingly widespread use of speed cameras compared to a decade ago.

The study also shows that the gap between men and women with convictions is closing, as 11 per cent of women had one or more convictions 10 years ago compared to 15 per cent today, whereas the number of men with convictions has grown by a slightly smaller three per cent.

Mr Douglas said “whatever your age or sex, insurers take notice of driving offences, especially multiple offenders and this is reflected in premiums. That’s because regular offenders are much more likely to make an insurance claim than those who have a clean license.

“Keeping the right side of the law is one of the best ways to keep your insurance premiums in check.”

© Fair Investment Company Ltd