Summer Driver's Guide: Everything you need to know about driving in Europe

European Driving Guidelines: We've put together a comprehensive guide on preparation before you go, and on the legislation, regulations and compulsory equipment required in a number of popular European countries.

Driving in Europe offers some spectacular scenery and amazing landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Colosseum, so don’t let a driving fine or a run-in with the local police ruin your holiday.

Use our handy European driving guide to steer you in the right direction.

Preparation before you go:

• Check the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) foreign travel advice for the country you are visiting.
• Register with the FCO’s LOCATE service so they can get in touch with you in the event of an emergency.
• Don’t go anywhere without travel insurance (both for you and your vehicle you may need to let your vehicle insurance provider know if you are leaving the UK).
• Make sure your driving licence is current and valid. Ensure you are aware of the driving laws in the country you are visiting.
• Take photocopies of your passport, driving licence, insurance certificate and other important documents and keep these separate from the originals.
• Update: legislation was changed in April 2015 meaning that before hiring a car abroad, you will now need to obtain a passcode online from the DVLA website.

Travelling within the EU?

Here's a guide to the legislation, road regulations and compulsory equipment you need to carry in the following popular European counties:

Country	Important to know	Compulsory equipment
Spain	Drivers must be 18 or over You may have to pay motorway tolls Everyone in the car must wear seat belts Radar detectors are illegal It's illegal to use your horn in built-up areas	2 Warning triangles for front and back of your car High-visibility vest GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates Headlamp converters
France	Drivers must be 18 or over You have to pay motorway tolls, so take change Children under 10 cannot travel in the front Amber filter traffic lights in towns allow you to turn right, with care. Everyone in the car must wear seat belts Radar detectors are illegal Only use horn in an emergency	Self-test breathalyser GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates Headlamp converters Warning triangle
Italy	Drivers must be 18 or over Radar detectors are illegal You have to pay motorway tolls, so take change Everyone in the car must wear seat belts	Warning triangle High-visibility vest GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates Headlamp converters
Germany	Drivers must be 18 or over It is illegal to run out of fuel on a motorway You don’t generally have to pay motorway tolls Blinking yellow lights at a junction mean you have to stop Radar detectors are illegal If you are involved in an accident it is illegal to leave the scene without getting help. If it's just your car involved you must wait there for at least 30 minutes. You can’t overtake a school bus if it’s slowing down and getting ready to stop Some cities have ‘green zones’ and you need a special badge before you can drive in them	GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates
Republic of Ireland	Drivers must be 17 or over Radar detectors are illegal Everyone in the car must wear seatbelts You have to pay motorway tolls,so take change Don’t use your horn between 11.30pm – 7am	GB sticker clearly visible on the back of your car, unless your car has Euro-plates

At Arnold Clark we are committed to keeping you safe this summer - so we've produced a special Summer Drivers Guide, which incudes a number of Summer special offer vouchers. The Arnold Clark Parts Department also stocks a full range of seasonal travel accessories.

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