Drivers from the UK are heading for a summer of fines, arrests and accidents in Europe as they fail to comply with the rules and regulations of driving abroad, according to new research from AXA Insurance.
The BA strikes and volcanic ash disruption have led many Brits to rethink their holiday plans with an estimated 1.1 million saying they will drive to their overseas holiday destinations this summer rather than relying on air travel.

However, when it comes to some of the most basic requirements of driving abroad, there seems to be a lot of confusion among motorists with a third (33%) admitting they don’t know whether a GB sticker is needed and a further 24% wrongly stating that it isn’t. Nearly half (49%) were unsure whether their car insurance covered them for driving abroad with 23% making the potentially disastrous assumption that it does.

There were several other worrying findings: 40% believe it is legal to jump a red light in Italy providing nothing is coming; 37% believe it is legal to overtake on either side of the motorway in Portugal; and 35% believe that it is permissible to use a mobile phone while driving in Holland.

Craig Staniland, AXA Insurance director for motor says: “While some of the misconceptions we have about driving abroad are amusing, there are some very serious misunderstandings that could lead to breaking the law or a serious accident.

“Both Eurotunnel and the ferry operators have seen a significant increase in bookings over the last few weeks and we would advise any Brits taking their car abroad to spend some time making sure they understand any local regulations and checking they have adequate insurance in place should the worst happen.”