Despite a general tightening of purse strings across the UK, over 4.3 million motorists plan to drive their car to Europe this summer, according to Sheilas’ Wheels.

The research reveals that 49% of all motorists are swapping air travel for car journeys when heading to European destinations as it’s cheaper.

Over 1.5 million motorists will be driving to Europe for a day trip or long weekend. Alarmingly, the poll shows that 15% of motorists assume that they are automatically covered for comprehensive cover to drive abroad, but are still happy to drive on foreign roads regardless.

Furthermore, almost a fifth of motorists would just rely on checking their insurance documents to see if the cover was valid outside the UK. Surprisingly, only one in 10 actually call their insurer to check whether or not they are covered while driving abroad.

Motorists may think that having a Green Card within their insurance documents means they’re covered when driving abroad. However, this only provides proof that a motorist has the appropriate minimum level of cover required to drive in that country – which is usually only third party cover.

Jacky Brown, spokesperson for Sheilas’ Wheels, said: “When planning to take a car to Europe, it is crucial for motorists to call their insurer and tell them that they want to extend their level of cover for driving abroad.

“It is also vital that motorists understand the basic rules and regulations for driving on foreign roads and be fully prepared by planning their journeys, carrying the essential equipment and giving their car a maintenance check before setting off.”