Psychologist Dr. David Holmes has developed a formula to identify the 25 Ultimate Summer Drives in Europe. Dr. Holmes looked at elements of the driving experience that are important to the planning of a summer route, including the number of bends and hills, volume of traffic, type of scenery and even the weather; and combined these with the findings from TomTom’s study of 14,000 drivers from across Europe.
Taking insights from this study, and his expertise in human behaviour, Dr. Holmes developed the Ultimate Summer Drive (USD) formula to help drivers experience the best drive possible this summer.
The Ultimate Summer Drive (USD) is calculated by taking into consideration the Type of Road, Slope and Skew, Amount of Traffic, Stopping Points, Remoteness of Road, Surrounding Scenery and Weather.
The USD formula outputs a ‘Perfect Drive’ percentage score that can be used to identify the best routes to drive on.
On cracking the code, Tom Brown, Vice-President, TomTom UK said: “There are so many incredible journeys with jaw-dropping views all over the world to explore, which a summer road trip can help you discover.”
The Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway came out top across Europe when mapped against the formula, with its blend of spectacular views, quality roads and perfect light conditions throughout the summer making it the Ultimate Driving Experience in Europe.
The rest of the top five Ultimate Summer Drive roads in Europe is made up of the Estoril Ocean Drive, Lake Como, Italy, The Peloponnesus, Greece and The North Coast 500, Scottish Highlands.
Commenting on the formula and the top five roads, Dr. Holmes said: “Holiday driving can combine the thrill of the new and novel with a sense of adventure, unlocking a sense of excitement and freedom. Planning a route using my formula before you embark on your summer adventure will help you make the most of your drive and enhance your overall holiday experience.”