Driving Abroad

Vigilance is always a good thing when driving, but if it starts bordering on panic, we become more, not less, prone to accidents.

So, here are a few easy tips to make driving abroad safer.

1) Roundabouts – Go with the flow

Most of us experience a surge of anxiety here. The first tip is ‘go with the flow.’ The danger lies in trying to think too much when you really need to be driving smoothly. You’ll find that the junctions to roundabouts guide your vehicle into the angle for entry – you’d really have to go against the grain to get it wrong.

2) T- Junctions – Just look at the traffic

When you approach a T-junction, take your time and just look at the way the traffic is flowing along the carriageway. Follow suit (if you have to have a mantra, a good one is ‘Think Right, Look Left’).

3) Motorways– Keep slow till you’re ready

Motorways abroad often frighten us but they needn’t: just keep to the slow lane until you feel used to the traffic, and you’ll soon be driving calmly and normally.

4) Overtaking – Get another pair of eyes

If you have to overtake on ordinary roads, the best policy is to appoint someone (if you have a passenger) to act as your left-hand pair of eyes. As you pull out slightly, they can tell you whether the opposite lane is clear or whether to stay put for a little longer.

Keep calm, observe the traffic patterns around you, and stay safe.