Overseas driving

Driving on the right hand side of the road can be tricky for even the most experienced driver. For starters, in a hire car, the pedals and gear stick are on the ‘wrong’ side! But even in your own car, remember to concentrate more on what’s going on around you. First of all, other cars are going to be overtaking you on the left, which will be different, and when you join a motorway, you’ll have to look out for the faster traffic to your left also.

Then there are the roundabouts. You will travel around them anti-clockwise, and give priority to vehicles on the left. It’s wise to take your time and use your mirrors as much as possible. According to the experts, you will need to concentrate on your driving for the entire holiday, because most mistakes are made after the first few days, when the driver has started to relax!

The times you'll need to extra vigilant are when you set out for the day, when pulling out of a petrol station or junction, or a car park.

Dip your headlights

If you take your car abroad, you will need to adjust your headlights, because you'll most likely be driving on the right. Leave them as they are, and you’ll dazzle other drivers and face a fine. This is the case for most European countries, but just to confuse matters, in some European countries, namely Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, you still need to drive on the left hand side.

And did you know that it’s compulsory to use dipped headlights during daylight hours in Norway?

Other reasons for being stopped or fined abroad include having an overloaded car, and not displaying a GB sticker. You will get an on-the-spot fine for this one.

However, since 2001, drivers whose cars have a Euro-symbol on their number plate don’t need to have a GB sticker when driving in Europe. But cross over into a non-European country and it’s a different matter!

Be prepared

When driving abroad, you need to hold a full driving licence – make sure you take the paper counterpart if you have a photocard licence. It’s also worth checking if you need to have an International Driving Permit for the country or countries you plan to visit. Besides that, remember to take with you your motor insurance certificate, the vehicle registration documents and your passport. You could be asked to show these at any time, and it could help you avoid a fine from the police, or even worse, your car being taken away.

Six quick tips

Bear the following in mind when driving abroad:

1. Before setting off, stop and think for a moment before pulling away, and assess your surroundings.
2. Wear a red band on your right wrist to remind you to drive on the right!
3. Stick a red or orange arrow pointing to the right at the top of your windscreen!
4. Never drink and drive abroad - laws are strict and penalties are severe.
5. Getting door or wing-mirrors on the left-hand side is a good idea – to aid driving on the right.
6. Call your insurer before the trip to make sure you're covered for the trip and have the right paperwork.

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