Brits warned over dangers of driving abroad

BRITONS driving abroad have been issued with a “60-minute warning” after research showed they were at their most vulnerable one hour into their first overseas car journey.
Produced for the Foreign Office (FO), the research revealed the kind of problems faced by UK residents when on foreign roads.
These factors, such as driving on the wrong side of the road, unfamiliarity with the rented vehicle and driver fatigue all peak at the 60-minute point, according to Professor Geoff Beattie of Manchester University, who produced the research.
He said: “People are usually in a happy-go-lucky holiday mood when they hire a car or moped abroad, but what they really need to consider is that the chances of having an accident and getting injured really are increased by rushing onto the roads.
“Our brains need time to adjust to a number of factors for even routine tasks such as driving, so this research should be food for thought for anyone planning to drive abroad, and especially those planning to ride mopeds or motorbikes which have an even greater risk of accident.”
The findings come as FO research reveals that a quarter of young, independent travellers admit to driving or being the passenger of a moped or quad bike when abroad without first checking if their insurance policy covers them.
Jess Prasad, manager of the FO’s Know Before You Go campaign, said: “With tourists around three times more likely to be involved in road accidents than locals, it’s vital that anyone intending to drive abroad researches local driving laws and conditions and ensures their travel insurance covers them.”
AA President Edmund King said: “There are concerns about out-of-practice drivers at home, yet the vast majority of us are out of practice at driving abroad.
“Very few do this more than once a year, many much less often. Driving abroad includes a multitude of problems.”