'Least safe' driver names revealed

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People called Lauren and Luke may carry the most expensive car insurance premiums after a survey showed they make the most accident-prone drivers.

Drivers named Luke were found to be 21% more likely to have an accident than the average male driver, in a survey of more than half a million car insurance claims.

There were also 24% more claims coming from drivers called Lauren, compared with female drivers with other names.

Other names that were found to have made more claims than average were Sam, Ben, Daniel and Joseph for the men and Danielle, Jessica, Leanne and Natalie among the women.

The safest names were revealed to be Douglas and Margaret. Men named Douglas were 43% less likely to be in a car accident than Lukes, while Margarets were 44% safer than Laurens.

The list of safe driving names also included Raymond, Iain, Gordon and Trevor and Ann, Lesley, Anne and Wendy.

Brian Martin, managing director of elephant.co.uk, who carried out the study said: "Our results definitely show that motorists with some names have a higher probability of being involved in a car accident than others.

"There is no obvious reason for this, although some of these names are more common in younger people, who present a higher risk of having an accident."

Copyright © Press Association 2009

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