Many Britons are strikingly unaware of road rules overseas, an insurer has revealed.
Many Britons seem set to drive dangerously on foreign roads this summer - and might find themselves seriously out of pocket as a result.
A new study from women-only car insurance provider Sheilas' Wheels has found that 84 per cent of UK motorists who travel within the EU break European driving regulations while on the road. Moreover, the firm found that around 500,000 Britons did not even know the speed limits for foreign roads, leaving themselves at a higher risk of suffering a crash.
Coupled with the dangerous driving habits comes a lackadaisical attitude to car insurance, the research suggests. Around one fifth said that they would rely on "checking" their insurance documents to make sure that they were covered for outside of the UK, rather than on contacting the insurer directly, for example.
Jacky Brown at Sheilas' Wheels car insurance said: "When planning to take a car to Europe, it is crucial for motorists to call their insurer and tell them that they want to extend their level of cover for driving abroad. It is also vital that motorists understand the basic rules and regulations for driving on foreign roads and be fully prepared by planning their journeys, carrying the essential equipment and giving their car a maintenance check before setting off."
The survey also showed that travelling abroad by car is likely to prove a popular choice this summer: a total of 1.5 million UK residents were found to be planning a trip to the continent by car for a day trip or long weekend this summer.
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