Top Tips for Driving Overseas

Before you go abroad for a vacation you have some choices to make. You don’t just choose where you sit on the plane or where you sleep – Airbnb or hotel? – but you choose how you get around. For most people, they go abroad and use public transport and walk wherever they need to go.

Others? Others choose to hire a car and drive. Driving in a new place requires a lot of preparation and practice and whether you are driving for business or pleasure, you need to make sure that you are going to be able to stay confident behind the wheel.

Every country has different traffic laws, different signage and different driving customs. You need to know where to get help if something goes wrong, so knowing the number for a car accident lawyer and for the emergency services is a must. You need to make sure that you are going to be able to drive confidently without getting into a wreck when you drive in a new country. With that in mind, here are some tips for driving overseas that’ll make your driving experience one where you feel confident, calm and able to be behind the wheel.

1. Get used to the car first. It’s never too early to prepare yourself when you go overseas. Not only will the process of learning to drive overseas be much easier, but you’ll get to know the capabilities of the car. This is especially important if the car will be driven on the opposite side of the road. You need to practice in the right environment and there are driving simulation tests you can do online, and if you plan to hit the open road, you need to know about gas bottles to keep in the back of the car and what tools you need in case you break down.
2. Take an advanced driving school course. You have to think carefully about driving conditions overseas. If you’re going to be driving on the opposite side of the road, then an advanced driving course can be super helpful for you if you want to avoid any problems on the road. You need to arrive at your destination sound and that’s much easier if you understand the roads you’ll be driving on.
3. Get to know the laws of the road. Look up the speed limits and the laws of the road in the country you’re visiting. Before you hit the road properly, do some research and understand the potential speed traps you have to worry about and what the consequences are when you break them. Well, not when, we hope! You need to be as informed as possible when you are in a new place; everything’s going to be so much easier and you’ll feel more relaxed when you are well-researched.
4. Choose to go for an auto. If you’re traveling from a country that uses primarily automatic transmission, it makes sense to hire a car with an automatic transmission. You do not need to try and fit in with a manual car and it’s important to know that you actually legally cannot drive one if you aren’t licensed for a manual vehicle. Making sure that you have an auto allows you to worry about the road and not have to worry about gear changes and clutch control.
5. Pay attention. This is a no-brainer here, but no matter where you drive, you need to pay attention to the road. You have to familiarize yourself with the local driving routes as much as you can in advance, and always wear your seatbelt. Your safety is paramount but you’re also responsible for the safety of others on the road. You’ll be able to avoid accidents if you’re taking notice. If at any point you think you’d want to watch the scenery more than the road, then hire a driver to make sure that you get where you want to be without having to drive.

6. Keep to the slow lanes. You should naturally pay attention to the speed limit no matter where you are but ensuring that you stay in the slow lane will mean you don’t have to worry about trying to overtake where you’re not used to the road rules. It’s so important that you know the speed limits in the new place so that you can plan ahead on how you drive. Drive safely, and you can make sure that you get your journey going as planned.
7. Don’t get behind the wheel when you’re tired. You’re going on a vacation so you’re going to be tired as you get used to jet lag or you’ve had a busy day. You need to think about good driving habits. If you wouldn’t drive exhausted at home, don’t drive exhausted while you’re in a new place.
8. Be smart. It’s easy to become overambitious when you know how to drive, but you need to make sure that you are hydrated, you are comfortable and you feel confident when you’re on the road. The one thing you don’t want to do is to get too confident and being too tired or dehydrated can actually make your judgment a lot more impaired than you think!
9. Rent a smaller car. If you’re used to a large vehicle when you’re driving at home, it may seem like a good idea to get a bigger car when you’re driving abroad. The thing is, you need to pick a smaller car if you want to be able to see where you’re going. In a smaller car, you will find that you feel a little more confident on the road. 
10. Always get a GPS. You are in a new place, possibly for the first time. You do not want to keep stopping in scarily new places and have to look up maps with foreign names in a new language, so make a point of getting a GPS and you can be directed by a voice without a body! You can stay safe on your journey and know where the local gas stations and stop areas are.