MOTORING NEWS UK courts say women are 'better' drivers May 12, 2003 Something to celebrate - women are better drivers AFP LONDON — Women, much-maligned by the opposite sex for their supposed lack of ability behind the wheel, make far safer and more law-abiding drivers than their male counterparts, British officials said Tuesday. Of those found guilty of all driving offences by courts in England and Wales in 2002, 88 percent were male motorists, according to statistics published by the Home Office. Men committed almost all the most serious offences, such as causing death and dangerous driving, but women's share of speeding offences rose from 13 percent in 1998 to 17 percent in 2002. The category in which women committed the highest number of offences was obstruction, waiting and parking -- being responsible for 23 percent of such cases in 2002. Women committed just six percent of the death or bodily harm offences in 2002 and just three percent of dangerous driving offences. But female offences relating to driving with excess alcohol or drugs in the system increased -- up from nine percent of the total in 1998 to 11 percent in 2002. Men were responsible for 96 percent of vehicle thefts and 97 percent of offences relating to motorcyles. Overall, women's share of motoring offences rose only one percent between 1998 and 2002. –Sapa-AFP Related stories Forget sexy: the car of the future is all about safety