Driving Abroad This Summer?

The blog this week is about some essential tips for driving abroad this summer. Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, interest rates are rising, fuel bills are rising, food costs are soaring etc so when it comes to owning a car, we need all the help we can get to keep costs down. Read on to find out more:

These tips are essential to keep you safe and fully prepared on the roads abroad. It is totally normal to feel nervous or apprehensive about driving in a different country, but being fully prepared will ensure that you are a confident driver and will make your journey a lot better and more enjoyable. Read to find out more.

If you are driving your own Volvo or Toyota then we urge you to ensure that you are fully up to date with your servicing and that you have gone through all of your fluid checks and checked the tyre pressures and tread etc. If there has been a pesky dashboard light illuminated – these need to be checked first before you embark on your journey.  You should feel totally at ease with all the functionality if you are using your own car for your road trip, but you will have to adapt to being on the other side of
the road and the speed limits being in kilometres. Make sure that you know the laws of the country/countries you will be driving in with reference to carrying your relevant documents, such as driving licence, insurance documents, passport, rental paperwork, V5 etc and what you need in the car if you are unfortunate to suffer a breakdown. For example, carrying a warning triangle, hi vis jacket, first aid kit etc. So, do your research for the country you are travelling to/through before you leave, or you could face a fine. If you have breakdown cover – check to see if you have European cover too! Have you checked to see if you need to have a GB sticker displayed on your car? Have you put the strips on your headlights to avoid blinding other drivers? If you are usure of what you are doing here, then check with your local independent garage.

If you are driving a hire car, take five minutes to get used to where all the relevant buttons and gadgets are such as the lights, indicators, wiper blades etc. Getting the hang quickly that the gear stick is on the other side of you. Do not overload your car so that your visibility is restricted out of the rear and side windows.

Planning your journey and frequent rest breaks is also a good thing to do. If you have a European sat nav this would be very handy. Some rental companies give you this as an optional extra – take advantage of that as there is nothing worse than being lost in a foreign country. It would be handy to have a hard copy of directions just in case something happens to your sat nav. Most mobile phone packages now include international roaming in Europe so you can use your phone maps/directions but ensure that you have an in-car charger with you. Make sure that you have plenty of water in the car to stay hydrated. If you have young children in the car make sure that you have plenty of things to keep them occupied and that you have plenty of snacks to hand. Less haste – there are plenty of rest places to stop – especially in France. Get out and stretch your legs regularly and don’t be afraid of using the toll roads – they are much quieter. However, if you are in a British car and do not have a passenger – using the toll roads could be tricky as you are effectively on the wrong side at the toll booths! Much like you would if you were going on a road trip in the UK, sunglasses and sunscreen are essential things to keep handy. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front and be mindful that you and others will be joining motorways from the opposite side than you are used to. Roundabouts can be confusing as you will be driving anti clockwise and you will be giving way to the left. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire