Thousands of British motorists about to embark on driving holidays to continental Europe may be unaware of recent changes to local laws and in particular, the requirement to carry a breathalyzer while in France.
Lured by better weather, smoother roads and cheaper petrol, drivers taking a car full of passengers to their holiday destination can also have a relatively small impact on the environment compared to flying.
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.
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
Emergencies
112 can used to call the emergency services across Europe.
Breakdown cover
If you have breakdown cover with the ETA, make sure your policy includes European cover. If it doesn’t, don’t worry – you can buy from one day to one year’s cover.
Call 0800 212 810 for details.
Get a quote for European breakdown cover
Breaking down on motorways in France
If you breakdown on a motorway in France you 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
In France, lower 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)
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. As of July 2012, cars must also carry a breathalyzer and it is likely the law will be enforced as of November 2012. These are available on the high street from around £2 and may cost significantly more if bought on the ferry.
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.
Medical treatment
There are reciprocal health agreements with other countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. Many travel insurance policies require you to obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). An EHIC can be obtained online through www.dh.gov.uk/travellers for free. Please be aware that other sites may charge for obtaining an EHIC. The card will entitle you to benefit from the health care arrangements which exist between countries within the EU/EEA or Switzerland.
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 often refuse to help 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.
All cars in Europe must carry a warning triangle, and cars in France must carry a reflective tabard, 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 on board – the equivalent items cost about £10 when bought on the high street or online.
Breathalyzers
As of July 2012, cars must also carry a breathalyzer. These are available on the high street from around £2. Again, these are likely to cost significantly more if you buy on the ferry. However, at the beginning of this year, the French government announced that the €11 fine for drivers not carrying a breathalyzer has been postponed indefinitely.
In other words, you are required to carry one, but there is no fine for non-compliance.
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.
Neil Woolford
The French breathalyser law that required on to be carried in every vehicle is technically still in force, but is not actively enforced. The provision for fining people for the lack of a breathalyser was initially delayed, and has now been dropped. It is unlikely that the Gendarmes will be bothering with it.
However, speed and alchohol limit enforcement is now much more prevalent in France; they days when both were routinely ignored by many drivers are over. On the spot fines for speeding can be big.
Pat Conneely
Headlight adjustment for driving on the right can be done quite easily on many modern cars with the use of a screwdriver. Check your car’s owners manual for information on how to do it. Vauxhall cars generally only need an adjusting screw turned a half turn clockwise to comply with continental regulations and back a half turn anticlockwise on your return.