Women lose car keys most...but men are likeliest to lock themselves out
WOMEN are more likely to misplace car keys than men, a survey has found.
A total of 45 per cent of female drivers questioned admitted they frequently forget where they last put their car keys, compared to 38 per cent of men.
The poll of 2,068 motorists found that while men might not lose keys as often as women, they are more prone to locking them inside cars.
Thirty per cent of male motorists have achieved this particularly embarrassing feat, compared to 23 per cent of females.
The figures suggest that up to 16 million British drivers are regularly unable to find keys.The survey implies that two million have lost them for good and 120,000 have even managed to do so twice.
Each frustrating key search lasts an average of two minutes and 10 seconds, which for the most forgetful can add up to 14 hours a year.
Replacing vanished keys, which with all their modern electronic gizmos can cost up to £500 a time, sets us back £181million a year.
Pete Williams of the RAC, which ran the survey, said: “When it comes to car keys the evidence suggests that we are a careless bunch. Mislaying keys is an endless source of frustration.”
Other research by insurer SunLife shows older drivers are more at risk if they break down on a “smart” motorway, where the hard shoulder is used as a lane.
Figures show vehicles stranded in such situations are typically hit within 11 minutes, with 800 drivers killed or injured while waiting for help.
SunLife said: “Many drivers in their 50s, 60s and 70s who learned to drive before the introduction of smart motorways may be unaware of the risk to life.”