Traveling to a new country is always a thrilling experience, and when you decide to drive yourself on holiday you have the added benefit of choosing your own adventure. Of course, this freedom comes at a price; with added personal choice comes added responsibility, which means you need to make the right decisions to ensure that the trip is as rewarding as you intend. This will be a lot easier if you plan in advance and take into account the challenges of driving abroad.
Awareness of road laws
You’re fully aware of the laws of the road in your home country – you know instinctively by now what signs say and what you need to do in a given situation. When you’re in a new country, you will need to be aware that there are different laws regarding driving, and you’ll need to research those laws.
One of the joys of Europe is that you can drive through multiple countries in one day, but that does come with the need to understand that when you cross from France into Germany, or from Italy into Croatia, there will be changes in what is expected of you as a road user.
At a minimum, Google “what I need to know about driving in [country]” before you enter that country, and prepare for things like the need to always have a high-vis vest in the car when driving in France.
Can your car cope?
It’s now more possible than ever to drive from your front door to a destination hundreds of miles away. If you are attracted to the possibility of traveling independently in this way, be aware that different cars suit different journeys.
More than half of Britons change their car once every three years or more often than this, so when you’re checking on Edmunds for your next drive it’s worth thinking about what your ambitions are.
If you’re planning long drives through bucolic wilderness, you’ll need a vehicle with good fuel mileage. If you like the idea of road-tripping through chic Mediterranean towns, something smaller with better handling will be more appropriate.
Check your insurance coverage
You can get in a whole mess of trouble by driving while uninsured (or underinsured), and it’s more than possible for people to do this without even knowing. You can be confident that your insurance covers you for routine trips at home or even across the country. But does this coverage extend across borders – and if so, does that mean all borders?
Before setting off on an international driving holiday, make sure that you speak to your insurance company and ask them directly whether you’ll be covered for all aspects of your trip.
It may be the case that you need to pay for top-up insurance for some journeys, and it’s better to know this in advance than find it out when you’re stopped by police in another country.
In conclusion
As long as you are prepared, driving abroad can be an exhilarating experience, getting you right in the heart of a new destination in a way that package trips never can. Just be aware that you need to have clarity on the above points before getting behind the wheel.
