Women are better drivers, rules ASA

Women really are better drivers though men may disagree, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled.

Women really are better drivers though men may disagree, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled.

ASA had looked into complaints from members of the public who refused to believe there were statistics supporting a claim that women were safer behind the wheel, made in a Diamond insurance company advertisement.

But the authority threw out their complaints when Diamond produced evidence that female drivers made far fewer insurance claims than men, and for much less damage.

A Diamond poster headlined "Women! Cheaper car insurance" showed a man sitting in a hairdresser having his hair coloured. It stated: "Some men will try anything to get cheaper car insurance! Diamond only do car insurance for women because women are better drivers. So girls, if you want cheaper car insurance – it's easy!"

An spokesman for ASA said that Diamond had provided graphs for the past five years showing that female drivers had a lower frequency of accidents and a lower claim-cost.

In a separate ruling, Smirnoff vodka was censured for an advertisement showing a naked man sliding down a banister. ASA said that the poster showed drunken activity and could encourage excessive drinking, after 50 people complained that the actor's penis was visible.