After touchdown, drive safe for rest of your trip
June 25, 2006If you have decided to pick up a hire car after landing at an airport in Europe it is important that you know the rules of the road for the countries you’ll be driving in.
A nippy, little motor is a good way to explore a region and means you can discover places a little off the beaten track.
However, driving in another country comes with its own dangers and problems, but with a little forward planning you can ensure your trip runs smoothly.
Road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is warning British drivers that falling foul of regulations can result in on the spot fines and even the seizure of a vehicle.
With this in mind GEM has issued a free guide called Your Introduction to Driving in Europe, that is available through the post.
David Williams, chief executive of GEM, said: “The guide really aims to cut through the confusion and point people in the right direction with some basic 'do's and don'ts' so their trip abroad is as safe and enjoyable as possible.”
The guide is divided into sections covering preparations before the journey, a summary of information country by country and what to do if things go wrong.
And the booklet includes some interesting little facts about driving in Europe, including that in Austria it is illegal to park a caravan within 500 metres of a lake.
Also it is an offence to run out of fuel on a German motorway and in Greece carrying a petrol can in a car is forbidden.
Then again if you are driving around Finland be especially on your guard, because if you hit an elk then you have to report the incident to the police.
© Cheapflights Ltd Craig McGinty
