The survey conducted by the Ipsos Reid agency for Microsoft's new Streets & Trips 2009 system found 71 percent of men reported a willingness to stop when lost, compared with 44 percent of women.

Road trips into unfamiliar territory were full of stressors that even affected couples' relationships, the poll found. Nearly 20 percent of the unpublished number of respondents said they had argued with their spouses during road trips over such things as running out of gas or too many washroom stops.

Arriving late for a meeting or gathering was cited as stressful for 83 percent of drivers, while 73 percent said being lost on the road in the dark is stressful. Driving in an unfamiliar city was a stressor for 63 percent.

Despite the findings, only 31 percent of drivers said they took time to map and plan their road trips, the release said.