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Men are the main law breakers on South Australian roads | report

Men are still responsible for the larger proportion of fines.

The latest police figures show four in every five South Australian motorists caught driving under the influence of drugs or drink is a male.

And 77 per cent of fines for failing to wear a seatbelt were issued to men last year. But the ratio between men and women drivers narrows when it comes to talking on mobile phones and speeding, according to figures obtained by News Corp Australia.

Both genders are almost equally responsible for a 40 per cent plus total increase in the number speeding fines

The split is approximately 60 per cent to 40 per cent for both offences, with men still responsible for the larger proportion of fines.

Both genders, however, are almost equally responsible for a 40 per cent plus total increase in the number speeding fines issued between 2012 and last year.

Social analyst David Chalke said he was not surprised men were mostly responsible for driving under the influence. "They are inherently more prone to risky behaviour and this is one reason why they die younger," Mr Chalke said.

"There is an attitude that - 'this is not going to happen to me' and all car insurers figures show men are more likely to be in accidents than women." Gender traits in general are also responsible for the higher ratio of women caught talking on a mobile while driving compared to other offences for which they are found guilty, Mr Chalke said.

"Women are insatiable chatters, they love to talk," he said. "Certainly with younger women their connection with their peers through the phone means a lot and they can't let a call go unanswered." 

However, when it comes to speeding, Mr Chalke believes generational changes were driving women to be more represented in fines for breaking the speed limit than driving under the influence or not wearing a seatbelt.

"If you were talking 20 to 30 years ago you wouldn't see that same proportion," he said.

"But as women take on more roles, being in the workforce and raising children, they become busier and that results in a need for speed." Total fines for speeding have surged from 126,008 in 2012 to 178,395 last year - up 41.5 per cent.

FINES

  FEMALE MALE
Speeding 72221 106174
Mobile phone 4861 7506
Drink/drug driving 2411 8066
Seat belt 889 2992