Driving in Europe
Items to bring with you
- Valid passport
- An EU driving licence or International Driving Licence
- Insurance certificate
- Vehicle registration documents
- Agreement from hire company if a rental vehicle
- 2 x red warning triangles (front / rear)
- Spare set of headlamp bulbs with tools to change
- Spare set of spectacles if used for driving
- Reflective jacket for use outside vehicle
- Headlamp converters (e.g. if British car)
- EU number plate showing country code or sticker
- First aid kit advised to be carried at all times
- Snow chains in mountainous regions in winter
Correct side of the road
Drive on the right hand side of the road except in Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom where you need to drive on the left.
Pay particular attention to this on junctions and roundabouts.
Alcohol
You must avoid driving when under the influence of alcohol as limits are set quite low at 0.5 mg/ml in 15 EU countries.
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have a zero tolerance policy i.e. 0.0 mg/ml.
In Poland and Sweden the limit is 0.2 mg/ml.
Others include Lithuania at 0.4 mg/ml, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom at 0.8 mg/ml,and Cyprus at 0.9 mg/ml.
Breaching these limits will result in an on-the-spot heavy fine in most EU countries plus a court appearance.
Speed Limits
In built-up areas most countries the speed limit is 48 kph/30mph.
On single carriageways the speed limit is set between 80 kph/50mph and 100 kph/62mph.
The typical speed limit within built-up areas is 30mph/50kph but it is always safer to keep a close eye out for signs.
Some countries allow higher speeds on express ways i.e. dual carriageways.
Motorways speed limits vary considerably and range between 100 kph/62mph and 130 kph/80mph.
Note that there are automatic speed cameras in operation in many countries that record your number plate and speed.
If found breaking the speed limit you will have to pay a fine of between 10 and 3,000 euros, in many cases on-the-spot, and sometimes licence points are added also.
Mobile phones, Sat-Nav, Other Accessories
Use of mobile phones is banned although using a hands-free kit is allowed in some EU countries.
Use of Sat-Nav is only allowed if providing verbal instructions to the driver.
DVD players and the like must be positioned out of view of the driver.
European Road Signs
European road signs for the most part adhere to the Vienna Convention, a set of agreements to unify road signs across countries within the EU as well as others like Russia and some Middle Eastern countries. Britain also adheres to these road signs although there are a few notable differences.
Download PDF of European road signs (1.69Mb)
Emergency Telephone Numbers
You should take a note of the emergency service telephone numbers of any EU countries that you will be driving within. You should have numbers for :
- Police force
- Ambulance service
- Fire service
Obviously you should also keep your breakdown cover telephone number handy at all times and program all these numbers into your mobile phone ready.