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Female drivers may traditionally pay slightly less for car insurance than their male counterparts, but that may soon change, as reports suggest that ladies are starting to pick up bad habits that could ultimately affect their car insurance premiums.

Female drivers becoming just as aggressive as male drivers

Some studies have shown that female drivers can be just as aggressive – if not more so – than men, something that may begin as early as their teenage years. According to a survey on teen driving habits, nearly half of girl respondents said they are likely to drive more than 10 miles-per-hour over the speed limit, compared to 36 percent of boys. Furthermore, more teenage girls admitted to using a cell phone to talk or text or adjusting music selections while behind the wheel.Car insurance becoming more expensive for women.

Glen Victor, a member of the Florida Safety Council, told WKMG that the growing female presence in the state’s court-ordered driving classes indicates that women are becoming more aggressive on the road.

Mandatory for some traffic violators charged with crimes such as excessive speed, reckless driving and street racing, Victor said there used to be a time when only two women would be seen in the 15 to 20 person classes.

“Now half of them are girls,” he told the news station.

Vanity can increase costs for car insurance for women

Vanity may be one reason that women are becoming more careless while driving. Research by Churchill Car Insurance, a British insurer, found 7 percent of women say they have applied makeup while driving, and 21 percent said they regularly use the rear view mirror to check their personal appearance.

Increase of female drivers on the road needing insurance

However, some experts believe the soaring number of female on drivers on the road may be the reason why women are beginning to appear more aggressive. There are currently about 88 million women on the road, making up almost half of all drivers in the United States, according to the Insurance Information Institute, compared to just 40 million in 1963. With more drivers comes more chances for reckless behavior, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Association reports a 30 percent increase in drunk driving arrests for women from 1998 to 2007 compared to a 7 percent decrease for men.

States across the nation are vying for laws stricter driving laws that could help decrease the number of serious or fatal vehicle accidents. According to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, 30 states as well as Washington, D.C. have passed laws that ban texting while driving, meaning violators, both men and women, will likely see their car insurance rates increase if they are caught.