For millions of people, the summer holidays means visiting a foreign country. There are numerous countries that can provide a new and exciting holiday experience for you no matter where you're from.

Tips for the Driver

For millions of people, the summer holidays means visiting a foreign country. There are numerous countries that can provide a new and exciting holiday experience for you no matter where you're from. Anyone considering using the roads while abroad should make sure they are aware of foreign driving laws. Some of these laws may look strange, even to a most experienced traveller, highly addicted to various map-guides.

In Italy, for example, it is illegal to pick up a hitchhiker. At the same time you can drop off wherever you like. In many European countries it is compulsory to carry a warning triangle in case of a breakdown. If you are involved in an accident, you should pull in and call the police.

For UK and Australian visitors especially, the roadways are a major source of danger. It's thought that approximately one third of British tourists have driven on the wrong side of the street when visiting another country. This is, obviously, a dangerous mistake to make. A British tourist is twice as likely to die on the streets when abroad as in their own home country. American tourists sometimes mistakenly think that they will be driving on the right-hand side of the street when they rent a car in any country other than the UK. Plenty of countries outside of the UK observe a left-hand drive rule, and it's very important to be aware of this rule before travelling abroad. Most notably, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, several African countries, Thailand, Australia, and Hong Kong drive on the left-hand side of the street.

Some foreign regulations may seem petty. But some laws are more serious and could get you into trouble if you do not obey them. For example, in Germany, children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.

Holiday makers in France and Italy set this limit at 10 years old. Similarly, the Spanish have a compulsory law that all drivers must carry a spare headlamp bulb. The French, Germans and Italians are more relaxed about it: they only recommend carrying an extra bulb as a precaution.

Always when touring an unknown area, stick to the set speed limits and never lose common sense. Watch out for Egyptian drivers, who only have to drive forward and back through a couple of traffic cones to pass their test!

Relax when you reach your destination - not before!

addicted - склонный

a hitchhiker – путешествующий автостопом

compulsory - обязательный

petty – мелкий, незначительный

bulb – электрическая лампа

precaution – предосторожность

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04