There is an upside to the long working hours many solicitors endure - lower motor insurance premiums because they don't get to use their cars very much.

That is one conclusion to be drawn from research by motor insurer Bell Direct, which found that solicitors are less likely to have an accident or motor conviction than most drivers in the UK.

Some 20% of solicitors have had a car accident, apparently, compared to a national average of 23% - estate agents and electricians were among the worst, but were still behind the clergy, for 29% of whom divine intervention did not arrive before the crunch of metal on metal.

However, the clergy at least has a low level of motoring convictions (just 10%), with solicitors at 13%, below the 16% national average.

Perhaps solicitors should seek other discounts - for example, should you have to pay full whack for home insurance when you spend so much time in the office?