New online tool makes it easy to find out about driving laws abroad

A new online tool has been developed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) as part of their road safety campaign for Brits abroad.

The tool is designed to help Brits to stay safe and legal when they are driving abroad by giving them an easy way to access information about local driving laws and safety for countries around the world.

The road safety campaign has been launched in response to the high number of incidents on roads involving British nationals in countries such as Spain, Thailand and Australia.

Driving Conditions Vary Around the World

The rules of the road and driving conditions varies across the world, with many nations having a far higher rate of road accidents and fatalities. After deaths from natural causes, road accidents are the most common cause of death for British Nationals in Thailand. They also cause a high number of hospitalisations.

The danger of being involved in a road accident in a foreign country also highlights the need to have travel insurance every time you travel. If you are involved in an accident and require emergency medical treatment your travel insurance is there to cover the cost of your medical bills. Without travel insurance you would have to foot the bill yourself.

Your travel insurance will cover medical bills following a road accident, where you have been a pedestrian, a passenger in a vehicle or driving the vehicle (so long as you have the appropriate licence). It is important to note that travel insurance will not cover you for liability if you cause an accident whilst driving, this should be covered by your car insurance.

Road Safety Information

If you are driving in a foreign country where the roads are not as safe as they are in the UK it's very important to be aware of local laws and driving conditions in order to stay safe.

The new online tool from the FCO makes it easy to get up to date information about road safety and laws concerning driving for the country you are travelling to.

Driving Abroad: Road Safety and Laws (online tool)

Local Driving Rules and Regulations

When you are driving abroad you will also need to be aware of local laws and regulations - the online tool can also help with this.

Other countries have different driving laws than the UK, including some things you might not expect, for instance:

• France - drivers are required to carry a breathalyser at all times
• Scandinavia - it is illegal to drive without headlights, even in daylight
• Spain - if you need to wear glasses, you are required to carry a spare pair when driving
• Germany - it is illegal to drive without Winter tyres at certain times of the year
• Belarus - it is illegal to drive a dirty car
• Spain - in some cities, cars must be parked on different sides of the road according to the day of the week
• Serbia - compulsory equipment to be held by driver includes a tow bar and 3m rope
• Russia - it is forbidden to pick up hitchhikers

Driving Abroad: Road Safety and Laws (online tool)

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