Rural drivers are twice as likely to stop and help a stranded female motorist, compared with their urban counterparts, according to tyre firm Semperit Ireland.
In a roadside experiment to find out if Irish drivers really would stop to help an obviously 'distressed' lady, they set up a real-life 'damsel in distress' on the north and south side of the Dublin.
On the south side of the city, in the space of an hour just five people pulled over to help. On the north side, meanwhile, five good samaritans stopped to help in the space of half an hour.
In the rural test, motorists in Roscrea rose to the challenge, providing FIVE offers of help within just 25 minutes. The first to stop was Roscrea native Pat Quinn, a truck driver for a local haulage firm.
And in Moate, Co Meath, there were five offers of help in less than 20 minutes. Van and truck drivers, often the object of negative press, proved far more likely to assist than their car counterparts.
Research earlier this year indicated that 92% of men should have stopped to help Ailbhe but the reality was very different.
"There is a serious safety message in all of this," says Semperit Ireland's Paddy Murphy. "Female motorists need to realise that if they do break down, help may not be as forthcoming as they’d like. We’d urge all women drivers to learn how to change a wheel - it’s quite easy and could come in very useful some day." Brian Byrne.
