Driving Holidays Abroad

If you have considered a driving holiday before but have been put off by organising it, think again as driving holidays can be some of the easiest and hassle free means to get away this summer.  Living in Ireland we are lucky to be close enough to mainland Europe to open up whole wealth of interesting places to visit. For the more adventurous a longer drive will take you to the sun, sea and sand of the Mediterranean coast, travelling through France and Spain on the way. For those wanting a more cosmopolitan mini break, Paris and Amsterdam can be found in only a short hop. With flight prices on the rise and money becoming tighter, you may find that a driving holiday helps keep you on budget as well.

If you decide to take you car onto the continent this year then there are a few things you need to do before you go. First things first you need to plan your route, so grab the maps and the guidebooks and pick your ideal holiday destinations. If you feel you may need a little help getting to your destination, many satellite navigation systems have maps that cover the continent and should be able to direct you to your holiday spot of choice with minimal fuss. But do be aware that some of the features of these sat nav systems, such as speed camera detection devices, are illegal in some European countries. You can normally disable this function before you leave, and you would be wise to do so as the penalties can be high if you are caught with them on. Once you have your route sorted and you know how to get there, you should collect together all the legal documents required for the trip. Your driving licence, vehicle registration forms and your car insurance documents should be keep in the car at all times should you need to produce them. You should also contact your car insurance company to let them know that you are planning on taking your car out of Ireland. Next you need to pack all the other important equipment required when driving in Europe. You need to ensure that you have a first aid kit, reflective jacket, spare tyre and warning triangle stored away safely in your boot. On the outside of your car you should also have a country sticker. Despite some of the newer number plates produced from 2001 onwards having the country symbol on them, many places in the EU still require a sticker as well. It is worth considering taking out European breakdown cover in case of any mechanical failure whilst abroad. Your car insurance company may be able to offer this to you at a good rate, and it is worth making sure you are covered, as getting help abroad can be very expensive. Finally you should complete a few checks on the car such as the tyre pressure and tread, and the oil and water levels, making sure that they are all at the correct levels and then you are ready to go on your driving adventure.