Tips for holidaying on the road this summer
Millions of people from the UK go on the typical "sun, sea and sand" kind of holiday each year - and have a great time while they are at it. However, whilst sitting around by the pool and on the beach with a beer in one hand and a magazine in the other is an appealing thought, some Brits are looking for a change in our summer holidays.
More and more of us are putting away the shiny brochures for beachfront apartment complexes and considering a driving holiday as a possibility instead. And why not? A British driving licence will qualify you to motor around the vast majority of countries so you have a huge choice of locations for your holiday.
For most people, the best thing about a driving holiday is the fact that you get to see so much of the country you are visiting, rather than being confined to just a small area. A lot of people who have been on this kind of trip come back raving about the huge variety of experiences they had when travelling about, many of which they would have completely missed if they had stayed at one location.
Take the diverse scenery of Canada, for example. While you could easily spend two weeks looking around the sites in Toronto or on the coast, a few days of driving could land you deep in a beautiful forest or at the top of a snowy mountain. Indeed, marvellous scenery together with excellent roads earned Canada the rating of the second best country in the world to drive round in the World Driving Survey.
This survey looked at many aspects of motoring abroad in order to determine which were the best destinations for keen motorists to visit. It examined everything from the cleanliness of service stations to the politeness of other road users in its quest to find the best driving holiday experience.
The three countries which received the best ratings for road travel were the USA, Canada and Australia. Despite its reputation for road rage, the USA received praise for its safe, vigilant drivers, whilst Canada's service stations apparently rank amongst the best in the world. Motorists who had explored Australia were impressed by their clear roads and plenty of signs.
However, despite the best locations being in North America and Australia, the study found that UK residents tend to stick a bit closer to home. France and Spain were the top two choices for Brits who go driving abroad, with Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany and Ireland also appearing in the top 10.
Some European countries were rated very well, with the most courteous drivers being found in Ireland and the Netherlands, and Switzerland's roads being voted as the safest yet also the most exciting in Europe. Motorists visiting Germany also were very impressed with other drivers' cars and voted it the home of the most expensive-looking vehicles.
However, it was not all good news for Europe. Spain's high car accident rate made it one of the most dangerous places to go on a driving holiday, whilst a lot of Mediterranean countries - including Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece - were considered to be home to a high number of hotheaded, speeding drivers.
When it came to car crime, drivers felt their cheap car insurance rate was most at risk in the Netherlands, Ireland and Canada, whilst they thought that South Africa was generally the most dangerous driving holiday destination.
If you are planning to drive abroad this summer, you will have to choose whether you are going to take your own car or rent one at your destination. Clearly if you are a UK resident and you are visiting America or Australia, you probably won't be going in your own car, but countries closer to home - such as France - offer you the opportunity of holidaying in the comfort of your own vehicle.
If you do take your own vehicle, there are a few things you should bear in mind. Firstly, give your motor insurance company a ring to check that your cheap car insurance policy will cover you for driving abroad. If it doesn't, your insurance provider may well be able offer temporary European cover for an extra fee.
Secondly, bear in mind that road regulations will differ from the UK. In Spain, for instance, you are required to carry two emergency triangles in your car, whilst keeping a high vis jacket close at hand is a must in many European countries, including Austria, Germany and France. Finally, a couple of pounds spent on a GB sticker before you leave could prevent a rather more costly on the spot fine when you reach France.
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