Car hire customers told: You are not invincible abroad

Car hire customers and other holidaymakers have been warned that they are not invincible abroad and still prone to the same hazards as at home.

According to travelsupermarket.com people on holiday tend to think they are immune from consequences and disregard personal safety and security, which could lead to car hire customers driving recklessly.

Research by the comparison website found that 33 per cent of Brits are more likely to take risks on holiday abroad and do things that they would not do at home.

Furthermore, the top holiday misdemeanour was all day drinking, which 24 per cent of those polled had done. For those who have hired a car and then intend on driving this could have serious implications.

Other holiday antics included incurring serious sunburn (20 per cent), walking home alone late at night (17 per cent), having a holiday fling (16 per cent) and suffering sunstroke or heatstroke after too much sun and not enough water (15 per cent).

Brits blamed the mix of alcohol, sun and a holiday atmosphere for their more relaxed attitude to potentially hazardous activities.

Meanwhile, 55 per cent of those survey had a blasé attitude towards their laid-back holidaying ethos, saying breaks are about having fun so they can do what they live.

Some said that a lack of knowledge about local laws and customs had played a part in their behaviour.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert from travelsupermarket.com, said: "Generally, men are more susceptible to peer pressure and are more susceptible to bravado, those kinds of things which would lead to them doing things they would not normally do.

"Females are probably more considerate and conservative overall."

He warned men who might get led astray to do things such as drink driving on holiday that just because they are abroad does not mean there could not be consequences.

Research conducted by travel insurance specialist EssentialTravel.co.uk highlighted the drink culture which could lead to Brits driving a car while intoxicated.

The firm found that eight out of ten Brits admit to being very drunk on holiday, while 70 per cent were unaware that their travel insurance didn't cover them in the event of a drunken accident or injury.

Mr Atkinson concluded: "When people go on holiday, they suspend their normal level of personal safety and security and … they let rip at things they would think twice about doing in the UK."