It’s finally here. Although the rain clouds don’t seem to have been made aware, the summer is upon us – and it’s holiday season. As many families, groups and couples prepare to go on driving holidays across Europe, I thought I’d put together some common-sense driving tips for making the most out of driving on the continent.

1. Do your research. There’s nothing worse than arriving in a strange city and not knowing how to get around. Make sure you are aware of the major ring roads and arterial motorways before you arrive, so you can get in and out easily. Many road trips are delayed by going round in circles trying to escape onto the motorway. Equally, make sure you know where car parks and camping sites are long before you set off. This can mean you have more time to actually be on holiday. SatNavs or good maps will help with this.

2. Learn a few words of the local language. One of the things that can make getting lost in a foreign country even worse is annoying the locals by barking English at them. Take some time to learn some basic phrases, in particular greetings for morning, afternoon and evening – not forgetting please and thank you!

3. Make sure your short term European breakdown cover is fully up to date. Suffering a breakdown in a foreign country can be a very stressful experience, but having appropriate breakdown cover means you can get any problem sorted as quickly as possible – meaning more time enjoying your holiday and less time hanging around on the grass verges of foreign motorways.

These are just a few basic tips, but they should help you have a more enjoyable driving trip this summer.