Brits hit the road for epic holiday drives

Over 9.2 million Brits will take to the road for their holidays this year, with many making trips across the channel by car, rather than risking airport chaos.

The study, by UK motor insurance company Zurich, reveals that some holidaymakers are shunning planes for automobiles. Of those planning to go on a driving holiday, convenience (52 per cent), overall cost (32 per cent), the environment (14 per cent), delays (16 per cent) and airport security checks (10 per cent) are some of the main reasons.

Surprisingly, distance is no object for our intrepid travellers, with a quarter of drivers (24 per cent) prepared to take epic drives of over 750 miles getting to their destination and one in five (20 per cent) are happy to spend 15 hours or more getting there.

Despite the recent bad weather, Devon (16 per cent) and Cornwall (16 per cent) are the most popular UK driving holiday destinations this year, with French holiday hotspots like Normandy (23 per cent), Brittany (16 per cent) and the Loire Valley (12 per cent) taking the plaudits on the continent. More adventurous holiday drivers are even venturing as far afield as Warsaw in Poland (2 per cent). Other destinations mentioned included Brno in Czech Republic and Kefalonia in Greece.

Many drivers however, are apprehensive about getting behind the wheel outside the UK. Just over one third (34 per cent) of those who have ever driven abroad admit they get nervous hitting foreign roads – over a quarter (28 per cent) don’t feel confident and 25 per cent worry that they will end up on the wrong side of the road. A worrying 17 per cent of those who have driven abroad confess to having strayed to the left side out of habit. Road sign confusion has affected 13 per cent and nine per cent have had a near miss on foreign roads.

British motorists could also court disaster, with 28 per cent of those who have driven abroad not checking their insurance policy to see if it is valid in the countries they are driving in while on holiday. Additionally, 43 per cent do not check what their insurance actually covers – such as costs for medical expenses if they have an accident or a hire car if their vehicle breaks down. 53 per cent don’t inform their insurer when they drive abroad.

Roy Seeds, head of motor underwriting at Zurich Insurance sid, “While it might not be top of the ‘to do’ list before a holiday we urge motorists to give their insurer a quick call before they go as this will help speed up any potential claims.

“Drivers should check their policy to make sure they’re insured on international roads, how long they’re covered for and if they need to extend their policy for extras such as breakdown assistance abroad. We would also urge people going on epic drives to plan in regular stops and, if possible, to share the drive with others in the car. It’s crucial that drivers do some homework on the road laws of the country they’re heading to which may make all the difference between having an enjoyable incident-free trip and a stressful vacation.”

Zurich’s Car Solutions insurance includes 60 day free cover for single trips to European destinations.