Renting a car abroad? These are the countries that intimidate drivers the most

Driving in a foreign country can be pleasant or harrowing — ranging from a bucolic slow-roll through the countryside to a heart-pumping slog through a maze of city streets.  

But some countries make motorists more nervous than others.

A survey published in October shows drivers are most concerned about getting behind the wheel in India. With a score of 7.15 out of 10, India had the average highest score out of 49 countries in the survey.

A score of "1" indicated no nervousness at all, while a "10" represented being "extremely nervous," according to the survey, which polled 2,000 drivers from 10 countries — the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

India is known for "unpredictable traffic conditions, with everything from cars and motorcycles to rickshaws and even livestock sharing the roads," according to the survey commissioned by U.K.-based car company Scrap Car Comparison and performed by Prolific.

The metro areas of three Indian cities — Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune — rank in the top 10 on the TomTom Traffic Index for 2023, which analyzes congestion levels and rush hour speeds in cities around the world.  

The survey is not based on statistical information, such as roadway safety or fatalities, but perceptions of drivability among non-locals.

The top 10 list is a mix of countries across Asia, Africa and South America. Notably, none of the respondents hail from Asia or South America.

Mexico ranked No. 11, making it the highest-ranking North American country on the list. The United States was in 33th place, followed by Canada in 41th place.

At No. 12, Turkey topped the list among countries in Europe, followed by Hungary tied at No. 14 with Chile.

Vietnam came in at No. 13. Like many countries in Asia, Vietnam has far more motorbikes than cars, which can make driving a full-sized vehicle difficult.  

Isolating the 10 countries whose respondents took part in the survey, South Africa ranked the highest at No. 21, followed by Italy at No. 24.  

Motorists indicated they're most comfortable behind the wheel in the Netherlands, which received a score of 4.41, followed by Switzerland, Austria and Australia.

What scares drivers

Motorists indicated that driving on the opposite side of the road is the most intimidating factor about driving abroad.

Most the world drives on the right, while left-hand traffic dominates in the United Kingdom and many former colonies of the British Empire, including India, Australia, South Africa and Singapore.

Erratic driving from others and unknowingly breaking a road law also factored high on the list, and was cited by more than half of all respondents.

Nearly one in three drivers also said they worry about getting into an accident and not being able to communicate in the local language.