Women are more likely to comply with speed cameras, whereas men tend to brake before a camera and accelerate after it, according to a new study.
It found that women are twice as likely to comply with limits enforced by speed cameras, and twice as many women as men want speed cameras in their area.
However, in both categories the response to this question was low, with just 24 per cent of women saying they wanted to see more speed cameras in their area.
Speed cameras also have a more profound effect on women's driving patterns, with just a quarter of women saying they slowed only temporarily at speed cameras, compared with 39 per cent of men.
Only a quarter of women try to manipulate speed cameras by slowing down before the camera and accelerating away, compared with 39 per cent of men.
The study of British drivers also found that fewer women (just 36 per cent) believe speed cameras are used for revenue generation, compared with 52 per cent of men.
Researchers at Brunel University interviewed 1,100 people selected at random at petrol stations to produce a detailed analysis of how gender influences reactions to speed cameras.
The study's findings reflect the fact that men are more likely to be caught speeding. Only 18 per cent of speeding cases before the British courts were women.
Women also view speed cameras more positively, with 84 per cent saying they make a positive contribution to road safety, while only 75 per cent of men agree with that view.
"It is male attitudes to speed and its control that present the biggest challenge, and it is there that educational efforts should best be targeted, especially those of young men," the report found.
It also said the men are more likely to indulge in the higher speeds when breaking the speed limit.
Research author Dr Claire Corbett said the study showed it was necessary to use the views of both sexes to inform decisions on speed enforcement.
In her research Dr Corbett said it was important that there was not an assumption of a consensus of all drivers, and she warned against the media using the generic term 'drivers' without distinguishing between the sexes.
A spokesman for the Road Safety Authority said there is an awareness that "road safety is primarily a male problem".
Brian Farrell said this fact was built into all road safety programmes, policing activities and advertising campaigns and would inform the new Road Safety Strategy.
"We know more men than women are killed in cars. More male motorcyclists are killed and more male pedestrians are killed than female, so we are aware that more males are being killed and injured," he said.
"Look at our anti-drink-driving advert. It is a young man in that and we make a clear connection with not drinking and driving being more attractive to young women. But we are clear about the group of people we need to target with our campaigns."
Figures released earlier this month showed that almost 84 per cent of the 115,394 speeding notices issued between February and September this year were for driving at 20km/h or more above the limit.
Last Friday, gardaí placed a notice on the Government's e-tenders website for the provision of a nationwide programme of speed cameras.
They are expected to be in place by the middle of 2007.
