Although elderly women in London were recently voted the worst drivers in the UK, according to Auto Trader magazine survey, females drivers are generally considered better than their males counterparts.

In terms of car insurance they have always had an advantage because insurers consider them a much lower risk than men. Young women drivers, as such, enjoy lower premiums. They pay nine per cent less for their car insurance than their male counterparts, averagely. The average quote for a young woman in her 20s is £320 compared to £370 for a man.

The advantage continues until a bit later, when men catch up with them and even get better ratings and, by implication, lower premiums.

At the about 50 years, according to survey, both men and women drivers have their premiums made cheaper by insurers, with women paying an average of £203 a year, and men even pay less than women -  an average of £199.

Irrespective of the results of the survey by Auto Trader magazine, women are still better trusted behind the wheel and the situation will remain like this unless men, in a show of wisdom, decide to be more careful, less in a haste and a lot more conscious of the rules governing the use roads used by thousands of users almost simultaneously.

A new twist that would make men lose more sleep and confirm women’s better rating is the recent survey that women are now better van drivers than men. The survey by Moneysupermarket.com would compound male drivers’ worries that insurers consider their counterparts more mature than them and are offering them cheaper van insurance.

Just like it is with car insurance, they are believed to be a lower risk at a younger age than men. Teenage males are the worst hit as they pay much higher premiums than female teenagers. In the case of car insurance, insurers believe they may be less careful and more likely to earn motoring convictions than the females. For van insurance too the reasons may not be far from that, as younger male drivers have generally proven such speculations almost entirely correct.

On average a female teenager, according to the survey, pays £861 less than a male teenager on van insurance.

Van insurance, just like car insurance, is difficult to come by now, given the rise in cost of premiums. This is in addition to rising costs of vehicle maintenance, including fuelling.

As the costs continue to rise insurers would definitely raise the premiums to meet what they are spending to keep their business going. And one way to do so is by passing the cost to new and younger drivers, especially males. “Young and newly qualified drivers have long been perceived as high risk by the insurance industry and often find it hard to get competitive motor insurance,” said Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com, confirming this position.

However, people who are considered high risks have an outlet via which they could reduce the pressure from expensive premiums. They could add a parent to their policy or shop around for specialist insurers that focus on young drivers, advised Mr Gerrard.

In the meantime, insurers would continue to have more faith in women drivers. It is now left for men to turn the table by becoming more mature drivers.