British drivers 'confused about French road signs'

Updated

Britons driving to Euro 2016 could find themselves slapped with traffic tickets when they were expecting super-fast WiFi, after research revealed a wide-spread ignorance of French road signs.

More than one-fifth of UK drivers (21%) confused road-side warnings of speed cameras for WiFi hotspots, while the meanings of half of French signs proved a mystery to motorists.

The worrying findings come as an estimated 19% of the men surveyed gear up to cross the border by car for the football tournament this month.

Unexpected tailbacks could also become a feature of Gallic motorways this summer, as a healthy majority (57%) mistook the French toll booth symbol for a stop sign.

The survey of 2,000 drivers by insurance4carhire also found that around a quarter (24%) did not even know the motorway speed limit in dry conditions.

Spokesman Tim Thornhill said: "Before drivers hit the road we urge them to spend some time familiarising themselves with road signs in France - even if they have driven in the country before.

"Not knowing the rules of the road can be a costly mistake and could lead to an early exit."

Euro 2016 will kick off in Paris on June 10 and is expected to dominate sporting headlines until a champion is crowned exactly one month later.

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