Route 66 dream driving adventure
Brits would like to ‘get their kicks on Route 66', according to research by travel and car insurance provider swiftcover.com revealing that 40% of people would choose to drive the fabled American coast-to-coast highway as their dream driving adventure.
The legendary Route 66, which runs from the East Coast to the West Coast of the USA, is by far and away the most popular motoring experience amongst UK drivers. By contrast, the second most popular motoring adventures were to drive a supercar or go off-road in a four-wheel drive vehicle, both chosen by 14% of people surveyed.
The 2,500 mile Route 66 starts in Chicago on the East Coast of the US and runs through states including Kansas, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before ending in Los Angeles on the West Coast. Established in 1926 and often referred to as the ‘Main Street of America' or the ‘Mother Road', Route 66 has been immortalised on film, TV and most famously in the blues song of the same name, which has been recorded by music stars including Chuck Berry and The Rolling Stones.
Route 66 was removed from the US highways system in the 1980s and no longer exists on official maps, but many states still promote their stretch of ‘Historic Route 66', whilst a whole industry has sprung up to support people wanting to relive the American driving dream with Route 66 guides, maps and even fly-drive holidays.
Tina Shortle, Marketing Director for swiftcover.com, says: "It might seem like a busman's holiday to drive thousands of miles across America for a dream vacation when so many of us are stuck in our cars for hours every day whilst commuting to work, but the lure of the open roads and the free-wheeling romanticism of Route 66 has an obvious appeal to British motorists and petrol-heads."
However, Shortle warned that motorists keen to indulge in other popular driving adventures, such as racing supercars or off-roading, shouldn't try and replicate them in their ordinary cars. She continued: "Most people will not be insured to drive their vehicles at full-speed around a race track or rally circuit, or attempt a serious 4x4 obstacle course, so swiftcover.com recommends that people indulge in their motoring adventures by using a reputable experience provider.
"And although swiftcover.com customers will be covered if they take their cars to Switzerland and Italy, we would advise caution when driving through the mountains. Driving off a cliff is likely to result in policyholders losing their no claims bonus!"