Some stereotypes and prejudices stick no matter how much they are contradicted by evidence. Take individuals who continue to perpetuate the falsehood that van drivers are careless – how long will it be until reality finally knocks their prejudice cold on the head?

Those at the wheel of Ford Transits, Mercedes Sprinters, Vauxhall Vivaros, and Volkswagen Transporters are simply not bad drivers – in fact it turns out that van insurance policyholders are actually less of a risk behind the wheel than their car-driving cousins.

The RAC recently analysed Department for Transport data and found that van drivers have a significantly lower accident risk than most motorists. For example, one in 261 vans is involved in a reportable accident, compared to one in 146 cars. Actually, this makes van drivers the safest motorists on the UK's roads, as buses, lorries, and coaches have a much higher accident rate.

The good news is that the number of vans on the nation's roads is on the rise. Between 2002 and 2012, there was an increase of 29%, bringing the total number to 3.3 million. In contrast, the number of cars increased by 11%.

Despite these statistics, old stereotypes die hard: a study of 1,218 motorists revealed that 54% of the respondents thought van drivers are careless, while 57% believed they deserved their poor reputation.

However, as any driver van insurance purchasers know, having a bad reputation is not the same thing as being a bad driver. Furthermore, fortunately, cover providers have access to reams of accident data which helps to contradict these prejudices.