Driving in Europe offers some spectacular scenery and amazing landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Colosseum, so don’t let a driving fine or a run-in with the local police ruin your holiday.
Use our handy European driving guide to steer you in the right direction.
Preparation before you go:
- Check the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) foreign travel advice for the country you are visiting.
- Register with the FCO’s LOCATE service so they can get in touch with you in the event of an emergency.
- Don’t go anywhere without travel insurance (both for you and your vehicle you may need to let your vehicle insurance provider know if you are leaving the UK).
- Make sure your driving licence is current and valid.
Ensure you are aware of the driving laws in the country you are visiting.
- Take photocopies of your passport, driving licence (both parts), insurance certificate and other important documents and keep these separate from the originals.
Top European Attractions
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- France - The Arc de Triomphe, Paris
- Ireland - Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
- Italy - The Colosseum, Rome
- Spian - The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
Travelling within the EU?
Here's a guide to the legislation, road regulations and compulsory equipment you need to carry in the following popular European counties:
| Country | Important to know | Compulsory equipment |
|---|
| Spain | - Drivers must be 18 or over
- You may have to pay motorway tolls
- Everyone in the car must wear seat belts
- Radar detectors are illegal
- It's illegal to use your horn in built-up areas
| - 2 Warning triangles for front and back of your car
- High-visibility vest
- GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
- Headlamp converters
|
| France | - Drivers must be 18 or over
- You have to pay motorway tolls, so take change
- Children under 10 cannot travel in the front
- Amber filter traffic lights in towns allow you to turn right, with care.
- Everyone in the car must wear seat belts
- Radar detectors are illegal
- Only use horn in an emergency
| - Self-test breathalyser�
- GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
- Headlamp converters
- Warning triangle
|
| Italy | - Drivers must be 18 or over
- Radar detectors are illegal
- You have to pay motorway tolls, so take change
- Everyone in the car must wear seat belts
| - Warning triangle
- High-visibility vest
- GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
- Headlamp converters
|
| Germany | - Drivers must be 18 or over
- It is illegal to run out of fuel on a motorway
- You don’t generally have to pay motorway tolls
- Blinking yellow lights at a junction mean you have to stop
- Radar detectors are illegal
- If you are involved in an accident it is illegal to leave the scene without getting help. If it's just your car involved you must wait there for at least 30 minutes.
- You can’t overtake a school bus if it’s slowing down and getting ready to stop
- Some cities have ‘green zones’ and you need a special badge before you can drive in them
| - GB sticker clearly visible on the back of� your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
|
| Republic of Ireland | - Drivers must be 17 or over
- Radar detectors are illegal
- Everyone in the car must wear seatbelts
- You have to pay motorway tolls,so take change
- Don’t use your horn between 11.30pm – 7am
| - GB sticker clearly visible on the back of� your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
|
At Arnold Clark we are committed to keeping you safe this summer - so we've produced a special Summer Drivers Guide, which incudes a number of Summer special offer vouchers. The Arnold Clark Parts Department also stocks a full range of seasonal travel accessories.
