A newly released study has revealed that almost three quarters of British motorists planning to drive on the continent this summer are oblivious to local driving laws.
This is despite the vast majority of those surveyed claiming that they research road regulations before driving abroad.
Satnav manufacturer TomTom, who commissioned the study, claim the figures show a potential 12 million UK drivers could be unwittingly breaking local road laws when driving on the continent.
Examples of road laws on the continent which may seem alien to UK drivers include those in Scandinavia, where it is illegal to drive at any time without your headlights on, or Spain where in some cities cars must be parked on different sides of the road depending on the day of the week. It is illegal to carry bicycles on the back of your car in Portugal, while in Cyprus they have a zero tolerance policy on eating or drinking at the wheel, even non-alcoholic drinks like water. Meanwhile, in Denmark, drivers are required to check under their vehicle for sleeping children before each journey.
Over a quarter of UK motorists surveyed who had previously driven on the continent admitted to having driven on the wrong side of the road for the country they were in, and a quarter have found themselves unaware of when and where they can legally park. Nearly two-thirds admit they would prefer someone else to drive when they travel abroad.
However, us Brits are not alone in finding ourselves like fish out of water when driving abroad. More than a quarter of German drivers have been caught speeding abroad according to the survey, with a similar number admitting they have been pulled over by the police. Italian drivers fared worse, with almost a third having been pulled over by police when driving abroad and 15 per cent admitting to having a near miss.
Check out the TomTom infographic below for more interesting stats and laws:
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