Although Scotland is covered in tiny country roads, it seems that anxious drivers are prepared to take up to 30-minute detours just to avoid them, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 UK drivers on behalf of the RAC and Ageas Insurance, shows that 76% of city drivers are more likely to find narrow roads “stressful” with three-in-10 drivers admitting they deliberately steer clear of rural roads.
The potential difficulty of squeezing past other cars (62%) and the fear of a head-on collision (61%) are the top causes of worry.
Other causes of stress include having to reverse back to find a passing place (45%), meeting a tractor and not being able to pass (44%) and deciding who lets who pass (37%).
These worries lead many drivers to take find alternative routes with motorists willing to make a 16-mile or 25-minute detour to avoid country lanes.
City-based drivers are willing to add an average of 23 miles or 30 minutes to their trips, 14 miles and 10 minutes more than rural drivers.
Simon Williams, spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, said: “With unprecedented numbers of drivers on the UK’s roads this summer, more and more people will find themselves squeezing down narrow country lanes to reach beaches and popular countryside spots.
“For any driver less confident with tackling rural lanes the message has to be to plan a journey properly before setting out, and drive at the right speed according to the nature of the road, even if the official limit is 60mph.”
Robin Challand, claims director at Ageas Insurance, said: “Negotiating narrow rural lanes can be tricky, even for the most seasoned of drivers, but by following some simple tips and staying calm, you can avoid adding a damaged car to your list of things to get stressed about this summer.”
Although not many north-east and Highland drivers will have the luxury of avoiding country roads, for those who are tempted to detour, our advice is this: don’t follow sat nav detours unless you know the roads well, plan your route ahead of time, and practice on narrow roads closer to home before heading off on day trips and holidays.