With a combination of fast motorways, good general roads and quaint country lanes, driving in Britain is both easy and enjoyable. Full road regulations and explanations of signs are given in the Highway Code, available at large newsagents, AA shops and also the Britain Visitor Centre's bookshop in London for just 99 pence.
Road surfaces are good, even on small country lanes, and the network is comprehensive.
However in any case, hire cars are now nearly always fitted with air conditioning for those warm summer days. In the winter, on days when ice is forecast, you should take extra care on country roads which aren't all salted, particularly early or late in the day when the temperature is lower. In deepest winter, January and February, the north of England and Scotland gets more snow and in extreme cases some country roads can become inaccessible. The law requires that the driver and all passengers wear a seatbelt at all times. If there are children under 14 years old in the car, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that they are wearing a seatbelt.