Prepare to enjoy life in the slow lane.
Europe isn’t, generally speaking, the place to channel your inner speed demon, despite the myths about German motorways having no speed limits. The vast majority of roads do have speed limits (although the few sections without them will be marked with circular white signs with four black diagonal lines).
“One of the most common mistakes made by tourists is misunderstanding how long it takes to drive what might seem like a relatively short distance on a map,” says Ashley Barrows, product manager for Northern Europe at road trip specialists Audley Travel. “European roads are narrower and typically have more congestion than American roads, so clients can easily find themselves in unexpected traffic which will delay their progress.”
Embrace the map.
Dream of trundling along wildflower-lined country lanes, through remote pub-filled villages, and along winding mountain roads with more hairpin turns than the Monaco Grand Prix circuit? You’re in luck, because Europe has all of the above.
What Europe doesn’t always have is cell service, and it’s likely you’ll be surprised at the number of phone signal dead zones you’ll encounter. And that affects your ability to navigate by smartphone.
“Don’t assume you’ll always have GPS or cell service,” says Ashley Barrows at Audley Travel. “Away from the highways, roads aren’t as well signposted as in the US.”
For this reason, invest in a paper map (remember those?), and always keep your eyes peeled for signs.
Many European city centers are partly or entirely car-free.
You should always assume you'll have to park outside of the middle of town. Many appealing European towns and cities, including Venice (Europe’s largest pedestrian-only urban space), Rovinj in Croatia, and Hallstatt in Austria (a popular spot for road-trippers for its spectacular mountain vistas) have banned cars from their centers.
In Europe, the car is not king. Even towns you may not have heard of have probably banned cars from the best parts of town, where your hotel might be.
You might not notice when you enter a high-toll zone.
And numerous major destinations—including London, Oslo, and Madrid—now have low-emission zones that use cameras to scan license plates and charge high tolls to drivers to access large areas of town.
“Our clients regularly describe coming across European urban centers which don’t allow cars, even though there might not be any [visible] barriers to prevent entry,” says Ashley Barrows at Audley Travel. “Always do your research in advance to avoid heavy fines.”
Driving rules can change in a minute.
It's easy to forget just how easy it is to cross borders in Europe. For example, many residents of Luxembourg commute daily to Brussels, just a few kilometers away. Border crossings happen in unexpected places across the continent: Some of Italy’s most beautiful roads weave across the border into Slovenia, the main route of the French Riviera ambles in and out of Monaco, Bosnia and Herzegovina interrupts the coastal road of Croatia for 12 miles, and so on.
Sadly, this doesn’t mean the laws remain the same, so always keep an eye on your exact location and try to have a basic awareness of which laws you’ll need to stick to. Make sure you know what documentation drivers are required to carry in each country you’ll be passing through, too (see below).
Squeezes may be tight or impossible.
You’ll notice the narrow width of the roads in European cities and towns, and in some rural areas, roads may be referred to carrot-crunchers—narrow lanes with high hedges and few passing spots.
“The roads in many European cities were designed for travel by horse and carriage, so older areas of many towns and cities still have narrow roads,” says Ashley Barrows at Audley Travel, who warns against relying too heavily on technology. “Just because Google says it’s possible to drive down doesn’t mean every car will fit,” says Ashley.
Bear in mind that doctors at University College London found that drivers who rely too heavily on GPS devices inadvertently deactivate parts of the brain that are essential for navigation. So don't keep going just because your phone claims you can.
Read the small print.
Make no mistake: Skimping on insurance is a false economy.
“Always check that your plan includes roadside assistance services which will help you get back on track without hassle or extra expense,” says Cheri Cummings, claims director at motoring insurance specialist Squaremouth. “Whether you have a flat tire, a dead battery or an empty gas tank, roadside assistance can get you back on your way quickly, but it’s important to check you’re covered as not all providers and plans offer this.”
The fast lane is a temporary location.
Not that we’re suggesting European drivers are politer than ones from elsewhere, but European drivers generally stay out of the fast lane (the one reserved for overtaking, on the far right in right-hand drive nations).
However, that doesn’t mean they drive slowly. “The main difference in driving behaviors is that that European drivers move fast, keep out of the fast lane unless overtaking, and quickly move over when possible if tailgated,” says Ashley Barrows. “And while you may see people do it occasionally, undertaking is illegal.”
Beware the roundabout.
Roundabouts (or traffic circles) are everywhere in Europe—you’ll find them between sections of six-lane motorways, on tiny rural roads, and in the continent’s oldest cities. Roundabouts for cars are actually an American invention, and they have been proven to reduce traffic accidents and cost much less to maintain than traffic lights, but they don’t appear widely in the United States.
A fun fact? France and England have the most roundabouts in Europe, with 42,986 and 25,976, respectively. “In countries where you drive on the left side of the road, roundabouts can be particularly daunting for Americans,” says Tom Trotta, Allianz Partners North America’s vice president of sales and partnerships. “Take them slowly and be sure to look left for oncoming vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.”
The basic rule of roundabouts (in right-hand drive countries) is to always give way to traffic coming from your left.
Coverage is only for the renter.
Sunk one too many glasses of rosé at that lovely Italian vineyard and hoping your (sober) other half will take the wheel for the drive back to the hotel? Consider calling a taxi instead.
“One of the biggest mistakes people make when driving in Europe is not realizing that if you’re renting a car, you’ll only be covered by insurance if the car is in your name,” says Cheri at Squaremouth travel insurance.
Pack that booty!
When driving in Europe, there are certain items you’ll need to carry in your trunk (or boot, as it’s called in the U.K.).
“In many countries (including France), a warning triangle and one high-visibility jacket per person is required,” says Ashley at Audley Travel. So make sure you know if there are any special requirements in each country where you'll be driving.
Do you need an additional license?
You might need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to your usual one to drive in the country you’re visiting. IDPs are required in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Americans can obtain that permit before travel from the AAA (the American Automobile Association) while Canadians go to the Canadian Automobile Association. As long as you already have a local license, you should get your IDP within about five days.
And what about European rental cars? What comes standard? What are the classic mistakes vacationers make when selecting a vehicle? Frommer's also has a helpful guide to the major pitfalls to renting a car in Europe.
