Which side of the road do I drive on?

Written by Nolan Mortimer

Friday, 10 August 2012 07:59

More than 1 in 10 holiday makers have driven on the wrong side of the road A recent survey by insurer Aviva has suggested that at least 16% of people have driven on the wrong side of the road whilst driving abroad. That doesn't really surprise me and I'm still astounded by the amount of people who have a car accident on holiday as a result of driving out of the car hire compound in a foreign country and simply forgetting what side of the road to drive on. What I also find surprising is that it's quite common for the person who is returning their car to be the one who causes the car accident on holiday and they then have to face the prospect of a compensation claim being made against them. Surely they would have got the hang of it by the end of their break? It makes you think what carnage have they left behind them! The Aviva survey of 1,000 people also shows that at least 5% of those driving as part of their holiday arrangements have had a car accident abroad. The cause of the accidents is unclear but a huge 28% of them admit to misreading foreign road signs when driving abroad. It's not surprising that this is considered a factor in many holiday car accidents. Car Accidents on Holiday: Don't Always Blame the Tourist! To be fair, I often find that getting used to the different driving styles in different countries can cause problems, and it's not always the holidaymaker who is in the wrong. I've seen several cases where a local driver cause a car accident with a tourist simply because they are driving how they usually do and the holidaymaker isn't used to it. The survey comments on various other risks and highlights the lack of familiarity with a route as a big concern, with 28% of people admitting that had the potential to cause a car accident on holiday. Safe Driving Abroad This is probably a good point to remind you of our recent news item about the importance of preparing for a trip abroad and so when you do decide to travel you can make sure you are as safe as can be. If the unthinkable does happen and you do get into a car accident on holiday or any other accident abroad, then we are here to help you through the painful aftermath. We give straightforward, practical advice and can help you make an accident compensation claim. Call us on the above number to speak to an expert advisor for FREE. For more information you can contact us via our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com