Driving in Europe: do you know?

Summer is officially here – although the weather is taking it's time to decide – and for many of us, our summer holidays are just around the corner. Have you got a Euro-trip planned? Do you know the road laws on the Continent? If the answer is no, you're not alone ...

Many Brits are left baffled when driving around the continent, as four in five struggle to correctly identify foreign road signs whilst driving abroad, according to a new study conducted by easyjet and Europcar. Other common aspects holidaymakers find challenging are: driving on the right-hand side of the road (59), identifying foreign traffic signs (44%), understanding foreign rules and regulations (51%), and knowing the difference between kilometres and miles per hour also stresses a quarter of Brits out. 

The majority (89%) of those surveyed admit to having little to no understanding of foreign regulations and road signs, and 87% conduct no research into a foreign country's Highway Code before taking to the roads. 

A lack of knowledge discourages Brits to take to the road, as 72% of Brits admit to feeling apprehensive when driving abroad and over half of Brits (58%) admit to have driven on the wrong side of the road. In addition, eight in ten admitted that they would be unlikely to pass a driving test in another country. 

This new research also revealed some of the quirky road laws. Of those surveyed, Brits weren't aware of the following European driving rules and regulations: 

• Filling your tank while your radio is still on in Spain could lead to a €91 fine
• Legally, you cannot wash you car on a Sunday in Switzerland
• In Romania, you'll be fined if you're driving a dirty car
• In Germany, you can legally drive nude as your car is considered a private space
• Drivers in Denmark must check for sleeping children underneath their cars before they set off

It's estimated that 35% of Brits are planning on driving abroad this summer, and it's quite shocking to find that most of us aren't as clued up as we should be. Luckily, we may have just the answer. Julian Parish's The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe has recently been revised and updated, just in time for the summer season! Better still, its compact size means that it can easily fit into your glovebox, so there's no excuse not to get a copy!

Whether you're planning a long touring holiday in your own car, or hiring a car locally on a business trip or holiday, this guide will give you all the information you require. Whatever your destination in Europe, you'll find everything you need to prepare for your trip and to cope with the unfamiliar. There are sections on dealing with everything from winter driving, to towing a caravan, from travelling with pets, to taking a classic car overseas. And – should the worst happen – there's also a clear guidance on what to do in the case of a breakdown or accident. 

With chapters covering Western Europe (including France), Southern Europe, Northern Europe, and Central & Eastern Europe – 50 individual countries – all the information is based on extensive local research, and includes comprehensive details on speed limits, drink/driving rules, motorway tolls, mountain passes, and other local regulations. Extensive illustrations help you recognise and understand unfamiliar signs, whilst more that 25 port maps guide you safely to and from terminals in the UK and on the Continent.

So, before you head out on your European travels, make sure that you pick up a copy of The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe!