A NEW survey confirms what the people who set your insurance premiums have long known.

This may be hard for you to believe, lads, but women are safer drivers than men, and far less likely to take risks when behind the wheel.

The UK-wide poll of 1,000 drivers was conducted by Green Flag Motoring Assistance and road safety charity Brake.

Green Flag spokesman Nigel Charlesworth comments: "We found women were less likely than men to take risks such as speeding, driving the morning after a drinking session, driving when tired, or using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

"Men, however, are generally more conscientious about car maintenance."

Brake and Green Flag hope the in-depth study will encourage people to think more carefully about the consequences of their driving habits.

Chief executive of Brake, Mary Williams OBE, says: "Men, who typically admit to taking more risks while driving than women, need to re-discover their feminine side.

"And women should remember that components on their cars can be crucial to safety. With 66 deaths on our roads every week, none of us can afford to be complacent. 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.

Women feel 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 who cause fatal accidents.