A guide to prepare yourself for driving across Europe

Throughout Europe there are plenty of beautiful places to see and experience, the diversity of landscapes and cultures is unrivalled and it’s just a hop across the channel away. The best way to see Europe is by car, driving across the European countries and involving yourself in the thick of things. With car hire available, you can travel as and when you please, visiting places you might not get to if you were on a tour – as well as the ones you wouldn’t want to miss.

Get your documents together
There are quite a few different bits and pieces of documentation you’ll need when driving throughout Europe and it’s probably a good idea to invest in a plastic wallet to keep them all in, this way you can have them all to hand and not scrabble in a panic when it’s actually needed.

Here are some of the important things you’ll need:

– Your full, valid drivers license

– The original vehicle registration document

– Where necessary, an International Driving Permit

– Your passport

– Your travel insurance documents

– A motor insurance certificate

Get breakdown assistance

While you might feel like you’re a sensible and experienced driver, you can never plan for unexpected accidents or breakdowns. That’s why it’s important to have breakdown assistance for Europe – or at least for the areas you’re travelling to. You don’t want to find yourself stranded on a quiet, winding road in a foreign country as it could spell the end of your trip.

Many breakdown assistance providers now offer Europe-wide cover, it’s best to shop around though and ask about which countries are covered in the policy you take out.

Be aware of the countries’ rules
Not every European country will have the same driving rules, though plenty will be similar. Take Italy and Greece for example, where in certain places road users make up the rules as they go along, running red lights where they deem it safe to do so. This isn’t to say that you should flout the rules, but being aware of the different driving styles in each country will help ease any confusion and fear on the roads.

Learn the signs and the language
While no one expects you to pick a whole new language in a few short weeks before your trip it’s worthwhile learning a few phrases to help you get by. Learning “please”, “thank you” and “hello” are always good starting points, but learning how to ask for directions has an obvious advantage when you’re driving on foreign roads.

In addition to this you might want to investigate the road signs for the countries you know you’ll be passing through. Some countries could have outlandish signs which might baffle you if you aren’t familiar with them. Road signs in most countries should be universally understandable but things such as the use of colours and shapes will vary more than you’d think.

A quick checklist

– First aid kit

– Spare bulbs

– High-vis jacket

– GB badge

– Warning triangle

– Emergency petrol

If you’re planning a trip to Europe and you need airport transfer services in Doncaster then simply contact Wyatt Coaches today and we’ll be happy to help.