5 safety tips for your first time driving abroad

Driving abroad can be a daunting prospect, even more so if you’ve never done it before.

When hiring a car to travel around in abroad, there are a few safety dos and don’ts to keep in mind, especially if it’s your first time.

Take your time

As with anything driving-related, taking your time is the most important thing to do.

There’s no rush, so make sure you spend some time getting used to the controls, the layout, and the engine itself. Familiarise yourself early on and you’ll gain more confidence throughout the trip. You’ll be an expert at the end!

Familiarise yourself with the rules

Each country will have different rules and regulations, so it’s essential that you familiarise yourself with these prior to doing any driving.

For example, if you need to wear prescription lenses while driving in Spain you’re required to carry a second pair with you at all times (just in case the first pair breaks). Who’d have thought it? And in the States, even if the traffic lights are on red, if there are no pedestrians you can proceed to turn right, another thing you’d never know unless you conducted prior research.

Stick to the speed limits

Again, speed limits differ from country to country, so ensuring you’re up to speed (pun intended) with these is pretty vital. The last thing you want is a speeding ticket, or worse, being pulled over by the police!

If you’re ever in doubt, or unsure if the signs have changed when changing roads, stick to the 30 mph rule, and you should be safe.

Don’t be put off by other drivers

We all know how intimidating it can be to be surrounded by drivers in another country, especially when their driving can be a lot more confident (and let’s face it, sometimes a lot more dangerous) than yours.

To stay safe, don’t be put off by those around you – if they’re getting frustrated at you taking a while to get the hang of things, simply let them pass and don’t let them bother you. Your safety and the safety of those in the car with you is the most important thing.

Plan your routes

Planning routes in advance will help negate any road anxiety, and enable you to get from A to B with confidence.

Hire a car with a GPS, or set up your phone as your own GPS to use whilst on your travels. If you’re doing any city driving, make sure you don’t end up driving down any one-way streets unknowingly; that’s the last thing you’d want! Getting pulled over is never ideal anyway, especially when you’re so far away from home, and there’s likely to be language barriers involved, too.

I really hope you enjoyed this post, please do leave any comments you may have at the bottom along with any tips you may have of your own!

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