Driving Abroad
Creating your own itinerary and hiring a car is one of the best ways to explore a foreign country, however, it’s easy to forget that other countries use different traffic symbols, have different driving laws and more than likely drive on the other side of the road!
Setyres have created this useful checklist of all the things you should research and bear in mind before driving abroad this summer!
Driving Licence
To drive abroad you will need to have a full driving licence and you will need to take this with you.
Some countries, including France and Spain, require that you are over 18 years old in order to drive, no matter how old you legally need to be in your country of residence, so make sure you check this before you go.
Some countries require that you obtain an International Driving Permit, so ensure that you find out and apply for one before travelling.
Hiring a Car
If you are choosing to hire a car whilst abroad, we would recommend that you do your research and book it in advance. This will help you to get the best deal on the car and insurance and may avoid waiting around in arrivals!
If you do decide to pick a hire car up whilst abroad, make sure that you use a reputable hire company and read everything before signing. Make sure you know what you are insured for and whether you need to bring the car back with or without fuel.
Taking your Own Car
As well as providing the necessary documentation that you require to take your vehicle abroad, you must ensure that your vehicle is safe on the road. This means checking that your tyres are safe, monitoring engine fluid levels and checking all components are in good working order. It may even be a good idea to have an interim service before you set off.
Things to Research
It is important that you are aware that driving regulations may be different in other countries, so here are the main things that you should find out:
- Do they drive on the right or left side of the road?
- Whether speed signs are displayed in miles or kilometres
- Items you must carry to comply with foreign regulations (e.g. in France it is an offence to drive without carrying a government approved breathalyser)
- If there are toll roads and how you need to pay for them
- A clear route of where you intend to travel and the conditions of the route
- Weather conditions
- Traffic signs as they can vary between countries (e.g. you may face rickshaw only signs in India, fauna crossings in Australia and bear warnings in America)
From all the team at Setyres, be prepared and enjoy your travels this summer!
Posted on: 06/07/2016
