- Road safety
- Motoring advice
- Driving in Europe
- Driving in Europe: cover
- Driving in Europe: the law
- Driving in Europe: practicalities
- Driving in Europe: road safety
- How to load your car
- Combating fatigue
- Driving in Europe: driving abroad in winter
- Driving in Europe: before you set off
- 10 best European driving destinations
- Take the scenic route
- Which country is safest?
- Taking a caravan on holiday
- Taking children on holiday
- Driving at night
- If the worst happens
- Fast driving
- Dealing with jams
- Summer Drivetime Magazine
- Winter Drivetime Magazine
- Handy Tips Video
Driving in Europe: road safety
The UK has one of the best road safety records in Europe and so the chances are that if you take your car across the channel (or to Ireland), you will face the increased risk of being in an accident. Add to this the fact that you are unaccustomed to the rules and culture of the roads, and you will begin to understand why it is essential to drive with extra caution at all times.
Tips for staying on the right
One of the most difficult things about driving in Europe is being on the right-hand side of the road. A good tip to make sure you don't forget where you are meant to be is to repeat 'drive on the right' to yourself until you are sure you have got it. Also, assuming you are driving your own left-hand drive car, the verge, rather than the middle of the road, should always be on your right.
If you are driving a left-hand drive car, overtaking on European roads will be difficult and so should be done with extra caution. If you really have to overtake, get someone in the passenger seat to tell you when it is safe to do so. If circumstances allow, in most cases it would be safer to wait until you reach a stretch of dual carriageway.
Moving out from a town parking space can be a perilous manoeuvre too (especially when reversing), as everything is in the 'wrong' place, and you may not be fully focused after having been out of the car for a while, so take extra care.
Traffic lights in towns
When you approach a junction with traffic lights, remember to look at the lights on the right. This is important at complex junctions, especially where there are multiple roads merging in from close angles. The green light you see on the left is for the people on the road coming in just to the left of yours, not for you. If you are driving on a narrow country lane, make sure you remember to pull back over to the right-hand side when passing stationary vehicles, for example.
Extra care should be taken on dual carriageways and motorways, where speed limits can be higher than in the UK. It is generally best to stay in the slow lane until you have got the hang of things.
Map reading
Use our Route Planner to plan your route before you set off, and if possible get someone else in the car to help you navigate. If you do need to consult a map, pull over. This is good advice in any instance, but particularly when you are driving in a country where you don't know the roads and you are on the right-hand side of the road.
Finally, don't forget to ensure that you have adequate breakdown cover for driving in Europe.