5 tips to stay safe when driving abroad

Before getting behind the wheel, you should know some important tips to stay safe when driving abroad. Many families decide to take to the road on vacations to travel by car in some tourist destinations; unfortunately they are often negligent in safety.

In this article, we would give you 5 tips to keep your driving abroad safe as well as some interesting road safety statistics. The 5 tips in this article certainly can be applied in general in various countries. A waiver of the following may cause your trip abroad unsafe.

1. Prepare documentations for traveling abroad

You must always include the original documents of the driver's license, vehicle's technical sheet and last paid receipt of the circulation as well as insurance tax. All with effective date!

2. Prepare an international driver's license

In the case of driving abroad, you must obtain an international driver's license. And depending on the country you travel to, you may also need the Passages Card, for which we advise you to report to the corresponding embassy. In some countries you will also be required to have the International Insurance Certificate or Green Card to be covered in case of an accident.

3. Know the rules of circulation in foreign countries

Legislation, signals or fines may vary from one country to another, just as not all countries circulate on the right. In the United Kingdom, India, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, Indonesia, Australia, South Africa or Japan you drive on the left. There are regulations that do not differ with the one we have in our country. For example, in all countries of the European Union it is forbidden to drive while using the mobile phone or after having consumed alcohol or drugs. It is also mandatory to use seat belts, child seats for children, etc.

4. Understand traffic fines in foreign countries

Foreign drivers are vulnerable to fines. For example, foreign drivers account for 5% of European road traffic but their offenses represent 15% of the total. This is because many drivers 'skip the rules' because in many cases, if the country's authority does not stop you, the fine stays in the bin, something that is already changing by the will of the different countries to allow the cross-border exchange of information on traffic infractions. In any case, our recommendation is that you always comply with the rules, to avoid the fine but above all for your safety.

5. Prepare prescribed medications

Pack enough and even some more in case your plans change. Take copies of medical prescriptions. And if the medication is unusual, confirm that it is legal and that it is easily found in the country of destination. Ask the doctor to issue you a note with your letterhead for controlled substances and injectable medications. All medications are allowed in carry-on baggage, with the exception of liquids, but must be presented to the inspection officer separately from carry-on baggage. If you have a large number of medications, use the safety row for families with special needs. Don’t forget that car insurance for young drivers is something you might need!

Of course doing the above 5 tips does not make you completely free of the risk but at least you can minimize insecurity, discomfort and unwanted problems while driving abroad.

How Mobile Speed Cameras Are Catching Drivers Using Their Phones

When drivers first learned that they could no longer use their mobiles at the wheel, it would be fair to say there was something of an uproar. Many argued that they were no more distracted by their phone than eating, smoking, or having passengers in the car, yet the new law was introduced nonetheless.

In March of this year, there was further controversy when the penalty attached to it was doubled, and now it seems that the police are really starting to crack down. But how are they doing it? They can’t have eyes and ears everywhere, so instead they’re relying on mobile speed cameras to do the hard work for them…

How It Works

Mobile speed cameras are in use across the world. Capable of snapping a shot up to one kilometer away, they’re set up to record a number of driving offenses, not just the speed of passing cars. For those who are unaware of this, it can lead to something of a shock when the attached fine is posted through your door.

The cameras work by flagging up vehicles that may be exceeding the speed limit. Should they track your vehicle, they will record the offense to use as evidence in your prosecution. This means that if you’re on your phone or not wearing a seatbelt at the time, you’ll soon suffer the consequences.

Why Does It Matter? 

If you’re on the side of those who are outraged at the increased fine, you probably think that it’s entirely unfair to track motorists and punish them so severely, but there’s actually a really good reason behind the rule.

According to experts Go Safe, those who spend their time behind the wheel talking, texting, or downloading data onto their phone will be pretty distracted, whether or not they realize it. This means that reaction times are significantly slower should you need to respond to a hazard on the road, making you even more likely to cause an accident than a drunk driver.

By taking part in the worldwide campaign to reduce deaths and serious injuries as a result of driving offenses, it is thus hoped that law-abiding citizens can help to make the roads a safer place for us all. 

Do your part to help: slow your speed, get off your phone, and take a look at this handy blog post from AA Cars to see how you can reduce driving distractions.

Which states allow speed cameras?

Can Traffic Cameras Be Used to Catch Drunk Drivers?