British tourists to drive 15.2 billion miles on holiday this year

As the nation sets off on its summer holidays, new research has revealed that British motorists will drive more than 15.2 billion miles on their holidays in 2016.

Over 15.1 million drivers will use their own cars on holiday this year, with the average motorist driving 1,002 miles.

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The research by automotive servicing and repair company Kwik Fit found that those starting in the capital are set for lengthy trips, with Londoners driving an average of 1,409 miles, nearly six hundred miles more than the average holidaymaker from the East Midlands (817 miles).

England's South West is the most popular destination for a self-drive holiday, with 28 per cent of people heading in that direction. This is followed by the South Coast and the Isle of Wight (17 per cent), Wales and the Lake District (both 15 per cent).

Despite Britain leaving the EU, Europe is still a popular destination. One in ten (10 per cent) of British tourists driving on holiday say they are heading to France with Germany, Italy, Ireland and Spain also appealing to UK travellers.

The research also revealed that many holidaymakers neglect to make some of the most basic checks on their cars before setting off. Four in ten (40 per cent) don't check their tyre pressures and six in ten (60 per cent) don't assess their tread depth.

Only around half of all drivers check their oil (53 per cent) and screenwash levels (52 per cent), with even fewer checking coolant (39 per cent) and brake fluid (33 per cent). Less than one in five (19 per cent) have their car serviced before they set off.

Drivers over 55 are much more likely to make pre-holiday checks of tyres, oil, brake fluid and coolant than those aged 18 to 34, perhaps reflecting well-established habits from years of driving older cars with lower levels of reliability than today's models.

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