Results of a poll conducted by TripAdvisor have revealed that British travellers think Italians are the worst drivers in Europe, closely followed by the French.

Over 35% of the 819 Brits questioned thought that contending with the locals’ driving style was the biggest challenge of driving abroad. The Greeks came third on the list of bad motorists. The UK was voted seventh, ahead of Turkey, Spain and Portugal. You can see the full list on the Mail Online.

Increasing numbers of holidaymakers are enjoying the freedom a hire car gives them to explore the countries they visit. But are we preparing enough for what might be a significantly different driving experience to the one we have at home?

Not if this survey is an accurate reflection. The results also showed that a scary 14% of Brits never brush up on local driving regulations before heading for the airport. Some basic research would take minutes, and could make a foreign road trip a whole lot safer. That 35% of people who said they were nervous about driving abroad could get behind the wheel with confidence if they knew exactly what to expect.

You can find guides to loads of the most popular destinations on the Auto Europe website, including comprehensive rules of the road sections. There is also plenty of information available online about driving cultures and customs. Aboutdrivingabroad.co.uk is definitely worth checking out.

Another problem encountered by 45% of the travellers surveyed was getting lost. You can usually hire a country-specific sat-nav when you rent a car (Auto Europe offers this service), which is worth doing if you aren’t confident of your map-reading skills.

By following this advice to cut down stress levels, hopefully the 38% of those surveyed who’ve argued with their partner at the wheel will enjoy some harmonious trips in the future…

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