Men over 50 fear uninsured drivers the most

Bickering about who's the better driver, isn't the only thing that most men and women disagree on when they get behind the wheel. Research by Saga Car Insurance shows that a quarter of men over 50 say their biggest driving fear is being involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, whilst a woman's biggest fear is driving in snow.

Perhaps men fear the financial strain and inconvenience that uninsured drivers can cause, and this might explain why men are three times more likely to fear uninsured drivers than women (men 23% vs women 7%). However, women seem to fear the incident itself rather than the aftermath, which could be why they are twice as likely as men to say they fear driving in snow (women 30% vs men 15%).

With an estimated 1.2 million uninsured drivers on the road, it is no surprise that they are a real problem for motorists - especially the one in 14 over 50s who have been involved in an accident with one.

Saga Motor Insurance has extended its cover to protect the over 50s against uninsured drivers, ensuring they do not lose their No Claim Discount if they are hit by an uninsured driver, and will refund any excess paid. In addition, Saga has also extended its cover to include road rage and car-jacking.

Incidents that both men and women fear equally are: having an accident (men 17%, women 16%), driving in fog (men 13%, women 10%) or driving close to big trucks and lorries (men 9%, women 10%).

However, it seems that people are less likely to fear the things that are more likely to happen on the road. While only a few people fear road rage (5%) and vandalism (2%), in reality a fifth of over 50s say they have been the victim of road rage and the same number say they have had their cars vandalised.

Roger Ramsden, chief executive, Saga Services, commented: "The most striking thing this has highlighted is the difference between men and women's perceptions of dangers on the road. Men's confidence in their own ability perhaps explains why they mostly fear other drivers, while women appear to be more realistic about their driving skills and fear things that could shake up the most competent driver."