Traffic Laws Abroad
Know The Basics Before You Jump In The Car

On a driving trip in the Baltics, the first few minutes on the road we noticed everyone flashing their lights at us...

A quick look at the local map reminded us that we were supposed to drive with our lights on all day, everyday.... yep, 24/7.

Those are the kinds of traffic laws abroad that you need to be aware of.

You might be reading road signs in a foreign language.... and that could get you lost or confused. You may be driving with distances in miles or kilometers... and it would be easy to miscalculate how long it will take you to drive from one place to another.... but... You really can't afford to be confused about traffic laws abroad... that could get you a ticket.

When you get to the rental car counter, ask if there are any rules that might be different from home. The car rental agents won't be able to give you all the answers, but they can answer basic questions.

We think the first rule for everyone should be don't drink and drive. While in many states in the U.S. the legal limit is 0.08 percent blood alcohol content, the limit is only 0.05 in Australia and much of Europe.... and more and more countries are going to zero tolerance of any drinking and driving.

Some traffic laws abroad apply to safety equipment that should be carried in the trunk (or boot) of the car. The rental car companies should provide anything that is required, but you should know about the laws.

Many countries require orange or yellow "visibility" vests. Some countries say these should be inside the car, so that you can have them on anytime you exit the car on the side of the road. Sometimes only one vest is required, sometimes more. To go along with those vests, many of the same countries require that the car has a reflective triangle to alert other drivers if you have to park on the side of the road.

What's a foreign driver to do? Well, for equipment, the rental car should have what is required... but you should check to make sure that it does. We always even check for the spare tire!

In some countries headlights must be on during the day... no matter what the weather. (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania among them!) Most countries now want headlights on when the windshield wipers are on. Some countries want headlights on during the winter.

If you're driving across a border, look for informational signs that will tell you the basic speed limits and rules.

Can you turn right on a red light? Or turn left on a red light if you're driving on the left? That's another law that varies by country. We say, when in doubt, wait for a green light.

In France, some meters need to be swiped with a card that you get at newsstands or "tobacconists".

In most cities, you need to find a parking garage or a machine on the street where you can buy a "pay and display" ticket.

You need to be aware of which countries require toll sticker (or vignettes) to be on the car for using the highways.

Are you supposed to flash your headlights when passing, or are you never supposed to flash them? Will you get a ticket if you DON'T use your signal while passing... that could happen in Spain. Is honking the horn illegal in the town you're driving through?

OK... We know we're not giving you answers here. The traffic laws abroad vary too much for us to do that. We're asking the questions that you should think about.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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