UK drivers 'accidentally breaking the law overseas'

Date: 1/6/2012

Drivers from the UK have been urged to research the rules of the road before taking their vehicle overseas.

According to research by AXA, only 49 per cent of Britons find out what rules and regulations are in place in the country they plan to visit before travelling.

This means many could be breaching various laws without realising it and leaving themselves wide open to punishment.

AXA has therefore urged motorists from the UK to carry out research before they set off so they know what requirements they have to meet.

This, it stated, should cover issues such as speed limits, rules on seat belts and child seats and whether they need to carry certain pieces of safety equipment, such as reflective jackets and warning triangles.

Drivers were also told to find out if they need to have paperwork such as proof of vehicle ownership, insurance documents and a driving licence on hand whenever they take to the road.

Figures from AXA showed that British motorists are falling short in many areas, with less than half meeting the legal requirement of using a GB sticker if they take their vehicle to another country.

Similarly, one in three drivers were found to be unaware if their car insurance policy still applies outside the UK.

This lack of knowledge is being compounded by some because of a lax attitude to obeying the law. Indeed, 27 per cent said that when they drive abroad, they are not as concerned about sticking to speed limits as they are in Britain. Meanwhile, 18 per cent are more relaxed about driving while intoxicated when they are overseas.

Since ten million Britons are expected to take their vehicles to countries such as France, Spain and Germany this summer, AXA is concerned that this all adds up to a "recipe for disaster".

Sarah Vaughan, Motor Director at the firm, commented: "It is shocking to see so many people willing to take risks that they wouldn't take at home.

"We would urge all drivers to prepare properly before heading away and to drive with more, not less, care than they would at home."