The results of a poll held in Australia have found that women drivers are more concerned about the costs of fuel than men.

Women, whose greater consideration for safe driving in many cases results in much lower car insurance premiums, also appear to be more considerate when it comes to the costs of petrol, according to the survey from NEWS.com.au and Coredata.

Some 86 per cent of women motorists said they were worried about the ever rising price of petrol, compared with a slightly lower 80 per cent of men.

Furthermore, 66 per cent of women surveyed said they were trying to economise on their overall petrol usage, while only 59 per cent of their male counterparts, who will generally pay higher car insurance premiums, said the same.

Almost half of women drivers revealed that they were looking to purchase a small car. Those shopping for female car insurance could benefit from such a move, as small cars generally have smaller car insurance premiums.

Contrastingly, under a third of men said they were considering buying a small car.

Petrol price worries are not unique to Australian women drivers - both male and female British drivers may have felt the strain on the pocket of rising fuel costs over the last few years.

And like in Australia, many men and women drivers in Britain may also be considering purchasing smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles to cut costs.

Buying a new car often provides a good opportunity to review car insurance policies and some providers specifically offer motor insurance for women, given their statistically better safety profiles.

A survey earlier this year from the car manufacturers Chrysler Group found that men and women drivers felt differently about the standards of each other's driving, despite the fact they agreed on aspects of driving itself, such as evading objects and bad weather.