There are a lot of people who live abroad for various reasons, starting from vacation to career options. Just like your country, in many other countries, cars are the best way of transportation. Are you planning to drive abroad? Here are some useful tips and basic advice.
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Documents
Some Middle East countries consider certain country licenses and allow you to skip some initial license tests. Learn whether your home license is valid in that country. You should know whether you can skip any tests in license test with your license. Acquire all necessary documents like license, registration and others.
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Road rules
Road rules are not universal. Some countries have left hand lane and some have right hand. Though it might look almost the same, you need to familiarize those rules. Certain rules are same in almost all countries like offence of drunken driving, using mobile phones or not using seat belts. Stick to the rules and do not get into any trouble for petty things.
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Safety
Driving slow and complying with all rules is just the first step of safety. Learn and note down all emergency numbers in your mobile. Have a small phone book and add all important numbers to that. God forbid, if some mishap occurs, people should be able to retrieve important phone numbers without worrying about your phone lock. If you need glasses for driving, please use one.
Do not get out of your car in any unsafe or unknown neighborhood. It is better to stick to the main roads and busy streets than taking short-cuts.
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Traffic jam
It is always better to avoid peak traffic time for the first few weeks. Use expressways and avoid any small roads which can cause problems. Play it safe initially.
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Maintenance
Note down all necessary maintenance number including AA. You should always have a spare wheel and other necessary tools. You may not be able to find help easily on a foreign land. Thus, try to learn basic service and repair process.
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Money
You may have international credit cards, but always carry some hot cash with you. Not all gas stations would accept all kinds of credit cards. You should not get stuck in the middle of nowhere.
It is a tricky business to drive abroad. It is not just because rules are different and new. It is also because you would look different from the locals and people can think that it is your fault, stereotypically. Thus, being extra caution and double safe always pays.
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