A number of Britons driving their car abroad have had trouble with driving rules in the countries they visited, research by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has revealed.

The study found that most of those affected were aged over 55 and the problems they encountered ranged from incidents like motorway mugging to common driving errors.

Problems like driving on the wrong side of foreign roads, it said, could lead to serious consequences.

The FCO survey also found that the over 55s are the holidaymakers most likely to drive a car abroad and they are being advised to make adequate preparations before heading off.

At least half of holidaymakers driving abroad do not take their driving licence and car registration documents and nearly two-thirds don’t take with them details of their breakdown policies.

Holidaymakers from the country were recently reminded that in addition to adequate travel insurance they should check their car insurance, if they wish to drive their own car, to make sure they are adequately covered.

This is because those having comprehensive car insurance in the UK will discover that it‘s reduced to a third party cover in other countries.