New studies confirm that drivers who have gone from the UK and visited Europe find that European roads are much better than their British counterparts.
The equality of British roads has always been a contentious topic among motorists, many of whom feel that they are not safe and very unpleasant to drive on. However, a proper comparison between British roads and roads in Europe reveal that Europe vastly outperforms the UK in this arena.
Shocking Stats
An estimated 62% of motorists have said the local roads in Europe are in worse condition than their counterparts in the UK. Only 17% of the participants in the study felt that UK roads were in any better shape than a European road.
Another concerning statistic reveals that 57% of all drivers believe that there are less potholes on the motorways in Europe relative to the high-speed motorway in the UK. It’s worth noting that both motorways regularly see thousands of drivers every day.
The study compared UK and European roads in five different ways, and the UK outperformed Europe in just one area, which was how easy it was to understand road signs. In every other category, Europe was voted the better place to drive.
Expert Input
Speaking on the study is Rod Dennis, the RAC Europe spokesman, who had this to offer:
“There’s much talk about just how dire the state of the UK’s local roads are, but to hear drivers think they are significantly worse than elsewhere in Europe is shocking. This begs the question: if other countries can manage to have decent quality highways to drive on, why can’t we?
It’s even more concerning from a safety perspective to learn just how many drivers think the UK’s motorways are plagued with potholes compared to the smooth surfaces of their European counterparts, as it’s these high-speed routes that carry most traffic.
Aside from having fewer potholes, European roads also come up trumps for their lack of litter and better visibility of road markings. So, it’s not just better weather drivers are benefitting from when they’re abroad – the condition of the roads makes them safer to drive on too.”
The study did also reveal the concerning fact that a lot of motorists don’t perform the standard maintenance checks on a car required for long trips, both in the UK and in Europe. 25% admitted they don’t check the coolant levels in the car before they start driving.
The only area where motorists were known to be more cautious is with their tires. A vast majority of drivers would check tires before setting out on a long journey, which is good news, but a lot of under-the-hood maintenance is not being carried out on a regular basis.
Rod had one final piece of wisdom to offer following this news:
“The positive news is that even in countries where the roads appear to be better, most drivers are being diligent with essential vehicle checks and making sure their tyres are in good shape.
However, it’s also very important to have a look at your vehicle’s oil and coolant levels as both can lead to catastrophic breakdowns, something no one ever wants, especially when on holiday in Europe.”