The Countries With the Happiest Drivers

Despite all the modern advancements in travel, the appeal of an old-fashioned road trip endures. But a road trip becomes considerably less appealing when you’re sharing the road with unhappy drivers. Luckily for any would-be road-trippers, the folks at vehicle finance company Moneybarn have created a global driver satisfaction index, analyzing what it’s like to drive in 35 major countries around the world, to determine which nations have the happiest motorists. Here are the best (and worst) countries for a road trip.

Best Countries for Drivers

5. Switzerland

Living in one of the world’s happiest and wealthiest countries, Swiss motorists are some of the most satisfied drivers in the world. However, even though Switzerland landed at No. 5 on the global driver satisfaction index, the central European country scored a rating of just 6.13 out of 10 on the index, reflecting the challenges and roadblocks many drivers face worldwide. The report analyzed key factors such as quality of road infrastructure, congestion levels in the capital, average gas prices, road safety in terms of number of road traffic deaths, number of speed cameras, and average off-street parking cost.

Switzerland scored particularly well when it came to safety (with just two road traffic deaths per 100,000 people) but had some of the highest gas prices on the list. Still, drivers have a lot to smile about in Switzerland as they pass by scenic views of the Alps and captivating cities such as Geneva and Lucerne.

4. Spain

Switzerland’s neighbor to the southwest scored 6.42 out of 10 on the global driver satisfaction index. Though the overall quality of Spain’s road infrastructure was lower than that of Switzerland, Spain had slightly more affordable petrol prices and remarkably low congestion in its capital. That’s largely thanks to Madrid’s low-emission zone, which introduced restrictions on vehicles in the city center to reduce pollution and encourage public transport use. Spain is also one of the world’s most well-traveled countries — it certainly helps that it’s among the best countries in the world for a road trip. 

3. Turkey

On the opposite end of Europe (and crossing into Asia), drivers in Turkey scored 6.56 out of 10 on the index. Indeed, there’s a lot to be satisfied about driving through Turkey. Not only is there plenty of roadside scenery to take in — from the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia to the views of Istanbul from one of the world’s tallest bridges — but Turkey also had some of the lowest gas prices in the report. That’s in addition to low parking costs and low congestion in its capital. 

1. Japan (tie)

Two nations in Asia share the title of the best country for drivers, both scoring 7.10 out of 10 in the report. The first, Japan, is noted for producing some of the world’s most reliable automobiles. The country also has excellent overall road infrastructure and low prices for diesel in particular. Prefer to fly instead? The Land of the Rising Sun is home to some of the world’s top-ranked airports.

1. Singapore (tie)

Tied for first place, the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore boasts the best overall road infrastructure of any place on the index — which makes perfect sense when you consider it’s one of the world’s best-planned cities. Drivers in Singapore also benefit from being on some of the world’s safest roads and from having access to relatively affordable parking. Unfortunately for Singaporeans, it remains one of the world’s most expensive countries to own a car, but luckily there’s a robust public transportation network, which visitors can take advantage of, too.  

Worst Countries for Drivers

Wondering where you should probably avoid getting behind the wheel? Romania had the third-lowest driver satisfaction score on the list (3.55 out of 10), thanks to high congestion in its capital and its dangerous roads. Next was Italy (3.12 out of 10), noted for its high fuel costs and poor road quality. The world’s worst country for drivers, according to the report, is Greece, which had the lowest score on the index (2.73 out of 10). That’s largely due to a higher number of road traffic deaths, as well as high gas prices and high congestion levels in the capital, Athens.