Men are paying far more in speeding fines than women, according to new research from OOONO, the company behind the CO-DRIVER road-safety device. Male drivers have paid an average of £804 in the past year, compared with £324 for women. The gap widens further at the top end, with 21% of men saying they’ve paid over £1,000 in fines, compared with just 3% of women.
So what’s behind the difference?
OOONO’s data suggests the issue is behavioural. Men consistently report taking more risks on the road, which may explain why they’re being hit with bigger penalties.
Key findings include:
Men are more likely to check their phones while driving (43% vs 26%).
Men are more often distracted by infotainment systems (36% vs 15%).
Speeding fines are more likely to affect men’s finances: 35% say it impacts their monthly budget (vs 24% of women).
18% of men say fines have made them late on their mortgage (8% of women), and 10% have had to borrow money because of a fine (3% of women).
Men are more likely to be distracted by back-seat passengers (21% vs 16%) and sat-nav notifications (14% vs 8%).
Women are more likely to be distracted by oncoming headlights (57% vs 48%).
Women feel less comfortable driving in tough conditions like at night, in heavy rain, or in snow.
Sean Morris, OOONO UK’s Chief Operating Officer, said:
“Men tend to drive faster and take more risks, likely due to overconfidence. That confidence can be misplaced, and the fines prove it. Tools like CO-DRIVER help keep all drivers alert, within the speed limit, and avoid costly mistakes. Our goal is to provide real-time information without adding extra distraction.”
