Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Posted by : John Ross on Dec 27, 2005 - 11:00 PM roadtravel

In a survey of drivers' knowledge carried out in 12 European countries, Spanish drivers came in next to last, only Slovenians being shakier. But if you are a UK driver you have no reason for smugness: British drivers came in tenth (considering the awful reputation of Portuguese roads, Portuguese drivers emerged in a remarkably good light, in third place after the Germans). And the EuroTest consortium's website does not even spare the top-scoring Austrians from criticism: it concludes that "We all think we are better drivers than we actually are." Read more, or see Spain and Portugal for Visitors' tips on Driving in Spain.

Nearly 2,800 drivers were tested in spot checks carried out at shopping centres, petrol stations and other everyday locations. The 15 theory questions covered matters from general driving behaviour to traffic regulations, environment, technology and equipment, while the practical test included drivers being asked to locate the switch for hazard lights, to find the emergency triangle and information about correct tyre pressures. The final part of the test was a self-assessment.

Results were not reassuring, from the best, the Austrians (64.4% correct answers), to the worst, the Slovenians (43.4%). Less encouraging still is the lack of objectivity shown, as fewer than 6% of drivers surveyed had a critical opinion of their own motoring abilities, even though under 10% knew exactly what to do in the event of a motorway breakdown, only 14% knew how and when to test their brakes, and nearly three quarters of drivers were unable to answer the question "When is overtaking totally forbidden?" correctly. With this in mind, I do not find the fact that over 40% of the interviewees gave a correct answer to the question "What should you do if you notice that your car is aquaplaning?" reassuring. Instead, it suggests to me that far too many European drivers are practising skid turns on a daily basis.

The EuroTest was carried out by member organizations of the FIA, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, including the British AA and the Spanish RACE (and their report carries one glaring, repeated error: "brake" is frequently misspelled "break").

The test results and conclusions can be seen at http://www.eurotestmobility.net/eurotest.php?itemno=86