Avoiding arguments on driving holidays

More than a third of couples argue when driving abroad on holiday, according to the latest research.

The easyCar.com survey revealed that the top driving irritants for our loved ones are poor map reading (48 per cent), driving too fast (28 per cent) and not understanding foreign road signs (21 per cent).

Annoying motoring traits become more pronounced when driving on unfamiliar foreign roads, psychologists claim.

But it is possible to adjust our driving habits if we can recognise them, psychologist David Moxon says.

He identifies four types of holiday driver: the planners which make up 38 per cent of the population, the 'satnavvies' (36 per cent), the freewheelers (14 per cent), and the road signers (12 per cent).

Perhaps unsurprisingly it is the freewheelers, who travel on instinct, rejecting the use of maps or other navigational aids, who are most likely to end up in driving disputes.

Tips offered by easyCar.com for happy driving holidays include listening to music you both like, sharing the driving and only being critical if you fully appreciate the situation.

They also recommend that travellers be flexible in their route, ask locals for directions and don't rush.