http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=b741c696-c434-4333-9906-e519c333cbdc&k=99037

Study links astrological signs with driving habits

Katie De Rosa, National Post
Published: Thursday, December 14, 2006

Libras, beware. People born under this sign are the worst drivers and cause the most accidents, according to a new study that links astrological signs with a person's driving habits.

A study of 100,000 drivers found that the month you were born in can predict how good, or bad, a driver you are. Your horoscope might even be a more significant insurance factor than your age, where you live or the type of vehicle you drive, says Lee Romanov, president of Toronto based Insurance Hotline.com.

The data, gathered over the last six years, rates drivers on likeliness of traffic tickets, accidents and overall driving skill and then links it to their astrological sign. The findings were "phenomenal," Ms. Romanov said.

She says some people seemed prone to getting tickets, some seemed destined for accidents and others had a combination of the two.

"Then I started reading the astrological signs, and it seemed to make sense."

People born under the Pisces sign are most likely to get slapped with a ticket, and Libras are most likely to get into accidents.

What is it about Pisces that will get them pulled over for speeding? Their daydreaming gets them netted, according to the study.

Libras, on the other hand, are not good at snap decisions, which could be disastrous in rush-hour traffic.

Ms. Romanov's "karmic driving lesson" is that "rush-hour traffic is not the time to seek driver approval."

But if you're a Leo, it's safe cruising ahead with this sign, rated the top driver out of the 12 signs.

Ms. Romanov says she was never a devout follower of astrology, but after conducting the research she can see how the sign descriptions match up pretty accurately with her own driving characteristics and those of people she knows. She says some are skeptical, but when she tells them which astrological category they fall into, they often admit with a nod, "Yeah, that's me."

For example, Leos are known for their huge egos, and it makes sense that they would want to be the best drivers on the road.

Then you've got Aries, the ram, which speaks for itself, she says.

Although looking to the stars may seem like a ridiculous way to chart your insurance rate, it makes more sense than relying on factors such as postal codes or the type of vehicle you drive, Ms. Romanov says.

"They've considered all other sorts of things, why not this?"

She says while insurance companies may not jump to add this to the list of variables when determining your insurance rate, it's certainly something a passenger may consider before getting into a car with someone whose sign defines them as a bad driver.

"I'm a little afraid to get in a car with a Virgo," Ms. Romanov said. Virgos are ranked as the fourth-best drivers but are said to be very nervous and prone to slam on the brakes suddenly on the highway if they see a squirrel cross their path.

"Maybe this will make them better drivers."