It's official – Women are significantly better drivers than men says the DVLA

Men lay claim to 7.7 million of the 10.6 million penalty points on UK licences until March 10 this year – 72 per cent, the DVLA says.

Even though the split between Britain’s 40 million drivers is almost equal – 54 per cent are male – the results shocked motoring experts.

There are currently 40,361,967 licence holders in Great Britain, of who 21,819,606 are men and 18,542,361 women.

But when it comes to the 10,600,617 penalty points, men hold 7,668,498 to women’s 2,932,119.

Of the 1,840 drink-driving offences over the past two years, 84 per cent (1,543) involved men and of 1,703,079 incidents where speeding points were given, 69 per cent were men.

Men were guilty of 78 per cent of recorded offences involving motorway speeding.

Even sexist assumptions about women’s fondness for chatting are confounded by the figures.

Men hold 82 per cent of penalty points handed out for inappropriate mobile phone use.

One of the most male-dominated offences – 93 per cent – is exceeding a goods vehicle speed limit. Women are penalised more than men in just three areas – aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring; driving while disqualified and flouting pedestrian crossing rules.

But Steve Horton of Road Safety GB said the figures were skewed because men drove many more miles a year than women.

“Many behaviours could be displayed by both men and women, like using a mobile phone. But for a variety of reasons more men may be detected doing it,” he said.

An AA spokesman said: “Men are more likely to be risk takers or put themselves or others in a situation where they are more likely to be put at risk.”

The Department for Transport and the DVLA did not comment.

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Battle of the sexes rages behind the wheel

Like many couples Jackie and Steve Allen are not slow to criticise each other’s driving skills.

Between them the pair have been driving for 85 years and travel extensively across the UK setting up live shows for their party-organising business.

But mother-of-three Mrs Allen, 53, who has three grandchildren, can count the number of parking tickets she has received on one hand.

She currently boasts a clean driving licence but admits to being penalised with three points in the past.

Meanwhile Mr Allen, 69, who runs Steve Allen Entertainments with his wife in Peterborough, Cambs, has had up to nine points on his licence.

“These statistics don’t surprise me in the least,” said Mrs Allen, who has been driving since she was 19.

“My main criticism of Steve’s driving, and that of men in general, is that they drive too fast. They take more risks. I don’t think Steve is aware enough of other drivers on the road and what they’re doing, I’m constantly on the lookout.

“After saying that, he’s never had an accident,” she conceded.

Mr Allen, who passed his test at 18, said: “The worst thing about Jackie is that she’s a nervous passenger.

“To be fair I think she’s a good driver, but she is overly cautious and she’s not relaxed behind the wheel.”