Tips for driving in Europe
A few simple steps can help ensure your driving trip to mainland Europe runs smoothly.
Much of the best advice is common sense – ensure that your trip is well-planned, that your vehicle is in good working order and that you take your time.
However, rules and regulations vary from country to country – our checklist below is not intended to be comprehensive but covers what we think are the most important points.
If you have experiences of driving in Europe that you feel would be of use to other motorists, please email marketing@eta.co.uk
- Documents you should take with you:
- driving licence with paper counterpart if applicable
- vehicle registration document (V5)
- motor insurance certificate
- passport
- European breakdown call-out number – 0044 870 77 44 565 for those with ETA European cover
- Breakdown cover
If you have breakdown cover with the ETA, make sure your policy includes European cover – if it doesn’t, don’t worry – it’s easy to top it up. Just call us on 0845 389 1010 or email memberservices@eta.co.uk with your phone number and we will call you back. If you currently have no breakdown cover,
- Breaking down on motorways in France
If you breakdown on a motorway in France you will have to use the emergency phones at the side of the road to call out the recovery service operated by the French police – nobody else is permitted to attend broken down vehicles on this type of road. You will be charged a fee, but if you ask to be taken to the nearest exit slip, you can ask your own breakdown service provider to take you from there. - French roads, new drivers and speed limits
Whilst on the subject of motorways, it’s worth noting that in France lowwer speed limits apply to visiting drivers who have held a driving licence for less than two years (motorways 110kph rather than 130kph, open roads 80kph rather than 90kph and dual carriageways 100kph rather than 110kph)
- Breaking down on motorways in France
- Alcohol and driving
Alcohol limits for driver vary slightly from country to country – the best advice is to avoid drink completely if you are driving.
- Insurance
Don’t assume your car insurance covers your trip abroad – most policies include basic third party cover for driving in Europe but the only way to be certain of your level of cover is to read your policy or contact your provider. Is your policy up for renewal soon? Motor insurance from the ETA offsets the CO2 emissions of a year’s driving.
- Medical treatment
Some degree of reduced-cost care is available in most European countries, but the service is not always comprehensive and the cost of repatriation in the event of an emergency is never covered. The ETA provides comprehensive holiday insurance – with discounts available for those who choose not to. Need holiday insurance?
- Child seats
If you have young children and are hiring a car abroad, you might consider taking your own child seat with you. It might seem like a hassle, but the seats provided by the car hire company get a lot of use (and abuse) and to make matters worse, if it is a model you are unfamiliar with you may find the local staff unhelpful – they are often told that for reasons of legal liability they are not allowed to fit the seats themselves.
- GB sticker
A GB sticker on the back of your car is compulsory wherever you are driving in Europe, unless you have number plates that include the GB euro-symbol. If you have neither of these you could receive an on-the-spot fine.
- Reflective tabards and warning triangles
France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Croatia all require that drivers carry a reflective jacket or tabard for use if the car breaks down.
As of July 2008, all cars in Europe must carry a warning triangle, and cars in France must carry a reflective tabbard, replacement bulbs and a first aid kit. The ferry companies will gladly remind you of this and charge around £50 for these items if you buy them onboard – Tesco sells a kit for less than £10.
- Headlights
You will need to adjust your car’s headlamps to suit driving on the right as failure to do so will dazzle oncoming drivers and could land you with a fine. Headlamp beam converter kits are widely available but Halogen or Xenon headlamps may need adjustment by your dealer.
What is the ETA?
The ETA is a not-for-profit ethical organisation providing motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products. As well as encouraging responsible driving to reduce carbon, the ETA campaigns for sustainable transport.
