Travel
Britons issued urgent European travel warning as drivers risk fines for not having ‘essential’ permit
Motoring experts have called on motorists to prepare for their summer holidays properly as they could face huge fines and other consequences on the road.
Millions of Britons will be travelling abroad this summer to celebrate the time away from school and work to soak up the sun and enjoy events like the recently concluded Paris Olympics and music festivals taking place across the continent.
However, while high temperatures and summer sun will tempt Britons to Europe and around the world, drivers must ensure they know the road rules when they drive or they could face steep punishments.
With the upcoming August bank holiday weekend, thousands of motorists could be travelling across the continent for a quick getaway, with experts highlighting the need for Britons to know road rules.
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Motorists need an IDP to drive in certain European countries
PA
Keith Hawes, from Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, spoke to GB News about how Britons can protect themselves when travelling abroad this summer.
He highlighted the importance of understanding foreign road rules regardless of where they are and whether they are driving their own vehicles or renting abroad when they get to their destination.
Hawes added: “Ensuring your vehicle sat nav is up-to-date and European-friendly is essential.”
This can help drivers keep up to date with the latest speed limits and road closures, with many experts advocating for the use of mobile apps, like Google Maps and Waze.
These apps will update more frequently and have live traffic information to ensure trips on holiday are relatively stress-free and they can get to their destinations on time.
Hawes also pointed out the importance of the International Driving Permit, which is compulsory in a number of popular tourist destinations including Egypt, Thailand and India. Drivers can be slapped with a fine if they do not have the necessary documents, with some European countries requiring people to have an IDP.
Changes to the permit were made earlier this year, meaning that drivers have to visit PayPoint locations to get the IDP, rather than their local Post Office branch.
Drivers are advised to check the GOV.UK website to see which permits are needed when going abroad. This could include separate details based on how long they are staying or whether they have a paper licence.
Hawes continued, saying: “Knowing how different countries operate their roads is essential, so planning ahead and being sensible on the roads is strongly advised.
“Every country has different rules, for example, in Germany, the famous Autobahn has extremely high speed limits, with drivers averaging about 80mph.
“However, drivers are free to drive as fast as they want in de-restricted sections.
“Therefore, it is illegal to run out of fuel on these roads due to safety reasons and to prevent stopping on high-speed roads.”
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Drivers can be slapped with fines for running out of fuel on the Autobahn
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Motorists can be fined for running out of petrol on public roads as it is seen as being wholly preventable and is the sole responsibility of the driver.
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