Estrogen is the feminine hormone thanks to which female drivers are safer than men, the Bradford University researchers have confirmed.

This is the conclusion of a study which involved 43 men and women, with ages ranging from 18 to 35 years. The participants underwent a series of neuropsychological tests that assessed skills such as spatial recognition memory, rule learning, attention, planning and motor control.

According to BBC, the authors said that "this study demonstrates that tasks requiring mental flexibility favor women over men" and that "driving could be an example of how this is applied to everyday life".

"Our study suggests that oestrogens may positively influence neuronal activity in the frontal lobes, the area of the brain stimulated by tasks of attention and rule learning, which could explain the female advantage when performing these tasks", the researchers added.

Dr. Nick Neave of the Northumbria University said that women's accidents tend to be at roundabouts and T-junctions, but at slower speeds than those caused by men, who are involved in more serious crashes because they can't brake quickly.