When you’re trying to get to grips with driving in a new country, the last thing that you want is to be getting stuck in traffic. If you choose to road trip your way through Spain, you’ll enjoy a low level of congestion (14.4%), cheap car hire ($27 per day), and safe roads (3.9 traffic deaths per 100,000 people). Spain is one of the most visited European nations and has lots to offer, from the gorgeous beaches to the mountains further inland, as well as historic and vibrant cities such as Barcelona and Madrid. From the Dolomites to the Amalfi Coast, Italy has a number of notable road trip routes to check out and it came second overall in our ranking, scoring highly for the quality and safety of its roads, as well as having a cheap average hire car cost and was also had the most attractions per person. Italy’s long Mediterranean coastline is perfect for exploring on four wheels, especially for lovers of culture and cuisine.

From the Pacific Coast Highway to Route 66, the US is home to some of the best driving routes in the world, so it’s little surprise to see it at the summit of the rankings. As well as being the highest-scoring nation when it comes to interest in road trips (on both Instagram and Google), the States were also the country with the lowest average congestion (although note that this will obviously not be the case in busy cities). Taking the top spot is the United States, which is, of course, one of the most iconic road trip destinations on the planet.

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