It’s a familiar stereotype; in the rear view mirror, six inches from the bumper, is a white van with a tattooed driver leaning out, shaking his fist and using some very choice language. But the stereotypical aggressive male builders better look in their rear view mirrors as the number of women driving vans is increasing at a rate of knots.
One of the UK’s leading van insurance specialists Gladiator has revealed that the number of women driving vans has increased by 61% since 2005 with the most common users being housewives, shopkeepers and florists. Other popular choices for female van drivers are interior designer and care worker, hardly the domain of the over aggressive tattooed ‘white van man’ that is often perceived by the public.
Gladiator managing director, Chris Price, commented, “Our statistics show that female van drivers are becoming more common on Britain’s roads. The most popular occupations for male drivers are also evolving, and although the most common is indeed building, the top ten also includes gardeners and shop keepers.
Chris continued, “Maybe the bad driving ‘white van man’ stereotype has reached its sell-by date and it just might be possible that the white van is being replaced by 4x4 drivers on the school run as the motorist everyone loves to hate.”
Issue date: 25th May 2007 |
