MALE drivers are more likely to speed compared with women, according to a Huddersfield charity.

Research released today by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line Car Insurance finds one in three male drivers, compared with one in seven female drivers, admitted they drive at 35mph or faster in 30mph zones every day or several times a week.

The gender gap is said to be even larger on rural roads.

One in five male drivers, compared with one in 16 female drivers, said they drive faster than 60mph on country roads every day or several times a week.

Joanne Dixon is a manager at Lindley driving school Laugh and Pass who employ only female driving instructors.

She told the Examiner she thought competent driving was down to the individual and it was hard to pigeon-hole the different sexes.

Joanne said: “I have noticed that women tend to be more cautious and don’t tend to be as confident drivers.

“Men seem more willing to take risks and don’t see the potential dangers as much as a woman would.

“Statistics suggest that drivers only spend 25% of their journey concentrating on the task in hand.

“Both sexes could improve their driving and their safety from further advanced driving lessons.”

Phillip Lockwood, a Huddersfield BSM driving instructor with 42 years experience said ‘generally speaking men do tend to speed more than ladies’.

He added: “With new drivers I think it’s more of an even split.

“There seem to be more and more ladies, especially of the younger generation, breaking speed limits.

“I think a lot of it may be to do with TV programs such as Top Gear and peer pressure.”

Last week, the Government announced it was considering plans to reduce the speed limit on rural roads to 50mph.

Many local authorities are already reducing speed limits to 40mph or 50mph on country roads after accidents from head-on collisions, often on bends or brows.

Tim Coats, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Leicester, said: “The Government is clearly right to target its campaigns at men.

When it comes to driving on motorways, the survey also found that men are nearly three times more likely to speed.

One in five male drivers, compared with one in 14 female drivers, say they drive faster than 80mph on motorways every day or several times a week.