Before driving beyond your usual borders, look up the local traffic rules. Provisions vary from one country to another, whether in terms of speed limits, permitted blood alcohol levels or the obligation to have certain equipment in the vehicle.

When driving abroad, it is essential to follow local traffic laws. For example, some countries have lower or higher maximum speeds, while others have different permitted blood alcohol levels. You can consult certain rules relating to border countries in our article on this subject.

The rules that are most likely to vary the most from one country to another will be:

• The direction of traffic (right or left).
• Speed limits on motorways, outside built-up areas and in built-up areas.
• The blood alcohol level permitted while driving.
• Mandatory equipment in the vehicle: safety vest and warning triangle.

Each country has its specificities; you can find a lot of information on the different European countries on the European Consumer Centre. Also make sure you have a mutual agreement accident report form in your language in the event of an accident abroad.

The validity of your driving licence abroad depends on several elements:

• If you obtained your licence in a country in the European Union or the European Economic Area, it is generally recognised and remains valid in these areas.
• If your licence was issued by a country outside Europe, its validity may be limited.

Please note: before leaving, make sure that your licence does not expire during your travels abroad. An expired licence automatically loses its validity and may not be recognised.

If you have committed an offence in Europe, you must pay. Indeed, there is a European “Cross Boarder” directive 2015/413, which allows the exchange of information between different countries and if you do not pay the fine, you will receive it at your home. This directive concerns the following offences:

• speeding;
• failure to wear a seat belt;
• crossing a red light;
• driving while intoxicated;
• driving under the influence of drugs;
• failure to wear a helmet;
• driving on a prohibited lane;
• illicit use of a cell phone or any other communication device while driving a vehicle.

If you do not pay, and you travel to the same country again, you risk having to pay with penalties or having your vehicle immobilised. You should also consider that for small infractions, the police may make you pay the amount immediately in order to avoid non-payment.

The time limit for paying a fine varies depending on the country where the offence was committed. In general, deadlines range between 15 and 60 days from the date of receipt of notification of the fine. For example, in Luxembourg, you have 45 days to pay your fine, this period is increased by one month if you are a non-resident. In Italy, the deadline is 60 days from notification of the offence.

It is essential to respect these deadlines in order to avoid surcharges or other sanctions. Some countries offer discounts if the fine is paid within a shorter period of time or if you pay immediately by cash or credit card.