More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Men are 4.5 times more likely to be charged with a driving offence than women in Kent - but does this mean the fairer sex are better drivers?
Of the 11,339 road offences prosecuted at the county's magistrate's courts last year, 78.6% (8,907) involved men, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Justice.
This compares to just 17.6% (1,998) women and another 3.8% (434) people whose gender was not recorded.
Offences included speeding, neglecting road regulations, causing bodily harm by furious driving, and causing death or injury by dangerous driving.
Despite the figures, 49.3% of men in Kent passed their driving test first time last year compared to 42.8% of women. This is a 6.5% difference, according to the latest DVSA statistics.
Maidstone driving instructor Bill Thursby was unsurprised by the figures.
He said: "I'm not surprised that boys have more accidents. They are definitely more reckless - I think most people would agree with that.
"With the tests, I have had some very good female drivers who I think are going to pass first time but nerves get the better of them.
"They end up making mistakes that they wouldn't during practice whereas the boys just think 'I'll give it a go and see what happens'."
However, when asked whether he thinks girls are better behind the wheel than boys, there was a long pause.
The 64-year-old, who now trains driving instructors with Let's Drive Kent, said: "The thing is, girls are more careful but there is a lot more to it than that.
"Boys want to show off and I think they're more likely to have the big accidents - girls might clip the car but boys will write it off going 100mph round a bend" - Julia Green
"For example, I have found boys tend to pick it up better than girls.
"It depends what you mean by better, but I will agree that girls are better when it comes to safety."
Julia Green, director of Julia's School of Motoring in Sevenoaks, said: "I would definitely say women are better drivers.
"Boys want to show off and I think they're more likely to have the big accidents - girls might clip the car but boys will write it off going 100mph round a bend."
"I would have guessed more boys pass first time but it doesn't mean they are better drivers. However, that doesn't mean boys don't make good drivers too.
But Ms Green, who has been an instructor for 30 years, revealed this has not always been the case.
She said: "When I first started out, boys were much better drivers.
"It used to take women considerably longer to learn because it was assumed women can't drive.
"I used to be happy when I had a boy because I knew it'd be much quicker, but now it takes about the same time to teach either."
Meanwhile, a retired driving instructor who used to work in the Thanet area, who did not wish to be named, agreed that women are the better drivers.
He said: said: "With girls, it's not their skill that's the problem, it's their nerves. Boys seem to be able to pull it together better on the day."
The 64-year-old who taught driving for 10 years added: "In my personal opinion, females are the better drivers because they are more careful - boys are the more aggressive driver."
