DESPITE endless traffic jams, motorway mayhem and the occasional road rage incident, research published this week reveals the UK is, in fact, a nation of calm and relaxed drivers who enjoy taking the "spiritual road" in life.

According to fish4cars, the nationwide classified cars website, most UK drivers opt for blue (28 per cent) when choosing their motor which, colourologists claim, demonstrates well-balanced and chilled-out personalities.

The fish4cars (www.fish4cars.co.uk) research highlights that the colour of a car speaks volumes about the driver but also dictates how they are perceived on the road.

The statistics show that over half of drivers (51 per cent) instinctively give red cars a wide berth when passing them on the motorway, as they regard them as being too speedy and dangerous. In complete contrast, white car drivers are naturally seen as introverted yet safe (40 per cent). And watch out if you are male and have a penchant for the colour pink - 86 per cent of men spotted driving pink cars about town are instantly thought of as a pushover!

When it comes to choosing new wheels, most Brits (98 per cent) cite car colour as the most important factor and shun the more traditional checks, such as miles on the clock and service history.

So what exactly does the colour of your car say about you? fish4cars has worked with colourologist, Donna Blackman, to offer insight into the meaning behind the top five car colour choices in the UK:

The Bohemian Blues (25 per cent) - it is the spiritual, calm and gentle Brits that are attracted to blue cars, definitely the kind of people who stick to the outside lane. Notting Hill lovey, Kate Moss, is a huge fan of chilling out in her relaxing and bohemian, open top blue sports car.

The Red Devils (14 per cent) - speedy, masculine and outrageous types always opt for this car colour. Jamiroquai is known for his love of speedy red cars but does he also love paying the price of speeding tickets that come hand in hand with red models?

The (Wo)Men in Black (14 per cent) - mysterious types who don't have a strong sense of identity often end up choosing a black car. The famously private George Michael owns many black cars perhaps a way of masking his true personality?

The Envious Greens (10 per cent) - People nipping about town in a green motor tend to be cool and relaxed. The effortlessly cool Johnny Depp is a big fan of his green Porsche.

The Willowy Whites (3 per cent) - shy and introverted types who are happy to spend life coasting the slow lane always go for the white models. The late great James Dean felt safe behind the wheels of his white sporty model.

The Mellow Yellows (1 per cent) - Happy-go-lucky types who go through life with a smile and enjoy short jaunts out on the road. British legend, Rod Stewart, is regularly spotted cruising around country lanes in his yellow motor.

Donna Blackman, colourologist, explains: "Colour is such an important factor in our lives. The research shows it reflects driver's personalities and also how they are treated by other road users. My advice to potential car buyers would be to have a good think about the type of person they are and compare this against the fish4cars colour spectrum before making a final decision."

Colin Mathieson, sales director for fish4cars, said "It is startling to see how much colour really does affect driver's experiences on the road and it is something that we recommend our customers take into consideration when buying."

Finally, the research shows there is a gender split taking place when it comes to the colour of cars. Surprisingly, women are more likely to choose masculine and mysterious black (31 per cent) as their favourite motor colour. Men, in comparison, shun flashy colours such as red and go for calming blue (19 per cent).