White Van Man is now Wise Van Man

Forget everything you thought you knew about van drivers new research says they are the smartest, sexiest and most successful drivers on the road.

Insurer Aviva questioned 3000 drivers last month, and the results showed that van drivers were regular bookworms, the most interested in politics and the handiest around the house.

Although the van drivers questioned were the least likely to have a degree, the research showed that half of them were in charge of their own business. That compares with the 83% of sports car drivers who work for someone else.

The research also showed that over 70% of van drivers the highest percentage in the survey were interested in politics. Half said they always had a book on the go, whereas the majority of bikers said they hated politics and never read.

At the end of the working day, van drivers said they were more likely to watch the news or a documentary than anything else on television. They also emerged as the least likely to watch reality TV.

In addition, more than a third of van drivers felt that their van was an asset when talking to members of the opposite sex, while half of them opted to fix household appliances when they broke rather than ask for help.

The only major gap in their knowledge was wine. A quarter of van drivers admitted they just about know the difference between red and white.

Nigel Bartram, motoring expert at Aviva, who carried out the survey, said: 'Gone are the days of the traditional white van man stereotype. What our research shows is that van drivers are entrepreneurial and responsible.'