Driving Abroad (France)

Im Only 71Kg

Hey i've never travelled abroad with my car. im thinking about doing it this summer..what steps have to be taken regarding insurance in a foreign country and road side assistance should it be needed?
thanks

Yakuza

Im Only 71Kg wrote: »

Hey i've never travelled abroad with my car. im thinking about doing it this summer..what steps have to be taken regarding insurance in a foreign country and road side assistance should it be needed?
thanks

With most insurance co's here, you can travel up to 30 days in the EU without needing any additional insurance. Check with your provider, they will clarify it for you. You should bring your policy document with you (and your Vehicle Registration Cert too, to prove you own the car) as the disc will not be enough proof. I know in Spain, for example, they don't use discs for insurance, but there's usually a copy of the policy in the glove compartment.

As far as roadside assistance is concerned, I think the AA do some kind of temporary policy, but it's pricey.

shanec1928

Im Only 71Kg wrote: »

Hey i've never travelled abroad with my car. im thinking about doing it this summer..what steps have to be taken regarding insurance in a foreign country and road side assistance should it be needed?
thanks

re the road side assistance.. you must have a high viability vest if you break down on the motor you can not stay in your car so a light jacket for when it rains because when it rains it pours there..for the driving part its no problem presuming your going to france when you get off at cherbourg you go straight to a roundabout so you have no time to think if your doing something wrong..if you plan on driving at night you need to have the beams of your lights changed.you can get some sort of stickers that you stick on

dissed doc

Your insurance provider will probably give you 30, 60 or 90 days of TPF&T. However, even after that set period, it is a EU legal requirement to provide the minimum standard of Third Party cover anyway, no matter how long you are driving your home country car in another EU country. If you call and ask, they might not even be aware of this, but it is the law.

If you want e.g., comprehensive for longer spells than 30 days, they will probably sell you an extension of it.

You can buy AA travel cover for EU trips; you can also join ADAC for reasonable money as well.

Yakuza

In addition to the stuff mentioned by forza rovers above, it's no harm to have a couple of warning triangles and a first aid kit in the boot. They're not mandatory here, and as far as I know, the only mandatory stuff for cars driving in europe is what's mandatory in the country of registration of the car, but it's no harm having them anyway, just in case you get stopped by some jobsworth member of the gendarmerie.

Also, in France, I'm pretty sure there's a Good Samaritan Law - if come upon the aftermath of an accident, you are obliged to stop and render assistence, unless someone is already there doing so. Something else to be aware of.

dissed doc

Yakuza wrote: »

In addition to the stuff mentioned by forza rovers above, it's no harm to have a couple of warning triangles and a first aid kit in the boot. They're not mandatory here, and as far as I know, the only mandatory stuff for cars driving in europe is what's mandatory in the country of registration of the car, but it's no harm having them anyway, just in case you get stopped by some jobsworth member of the gendarmerie.

of.

Actually I think you need to be compliant with the requiremens for the country you are in. You can be fined on the spot, but obviously no points. Like getting out of a car without high vis jacket on in Spain I think, etc.

CiniO

1. Take your Registration Certificate and carry it with you at all times when driving. That's required by law.
2. Take you insurace certificate and carry it with you at all times.
3. Inform your insurance company that you are going abroad, and make sure for how long they provide full cover. It's usually anything between 1 to 3 months. Anyway - don't worry too much, as minimum legally required cover (third party) will be valid for unlimited period.
4. Get some hi visibility vests, as they are required in France, and they are not part of car's mandatory equiment. That makes them required even from cars registerd outside of France. In other words - it's not illegal to drive without them, but it's illegal not to use them when required. And how are you going to use them when required if you don't have them.
5. The same goes to warning triangle.
6. Any other equipment thet might be listed on some websites as mandatory (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, spare bulbs, etc), are not really mandatory for you, as your car needs to be equpped only how required in country of registration.
7. Probably the most imporatnt thing - google some French rules of the road and read about them. They are quite different to Irish ones.
8. AFAIK only Aviva and AA provides EU breakdown cover in Ireland (but I might be wrong). Anyway they are unreasonable expensive, so maybe try to look for breakdown cover on the continet as you were already adviced about ADAC.
I needed breakdown cover for about 60 days. AA quoted me something about 150 euros. I made a good research, and found a product from Polish insurance company, providing me with the same level of breakdown cover as AA, for as little as 20 euros.

CiniO

dissed doc wrote: »

Actually I think you need to be compliant with the requiremens for the country you are in. You can be fined on the spot, but obviously no points. Like getting out of a car without high vis jacket on in Spain I think, etc.

According to the convention about international traffic signed in Vienna in 1968 by most countries (including Ireland and France), all cars need to be equipped as required in country of registration. Only exception is warning triangle, which can be required additionally while in international traffic.
Hi-vis vests are not part of car equipment, and as you can't be penalized for not having them, you might be penalized for not using them if required. And to do it, you need to have them.

skibum

A lot of good advise in previous posts, I love driving in France, been there on holidays for the last 6 years.

One item that I would highly recommend is a satnav, it makes life a hell of a lot easier, especially if you are depending on the missus for directions, which junction to exit etc ...

In general the French have very good lane discipline on the motorways, they (and the cops) don't take kindly to "outside lane" hoggers, they generally move back into lane after overtaking.

Berty

Read the DFA

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=413

I drove through France last year in my dads car but it still had Ford Breakdown cover so I didn't buy however I had considered.

http://www.blueinsurance.ie/NewMBPolicyStep1.asp?AgencyId=1318&CoverLevel=5%20Star

At €85 notes you also get 12 months breakdown cover in Ireland as well. AA will rob the eye out of your head.

BTW, ensure you car is not more than 9 years old otherwise you will not be insured.

Spare bulbs, headlights reflectors, 2 x hi viz vests(must be kept in the cabin of the car), warning triangle and first aid kit.

I never got checked by the French authorities once during my trip but you might so make sure you do what they say.

Crasp

I haven't seen anyone mention beam benders yet. Ok I see some posts above mentioned them already.

They are adhesive plastics that stick on to your head light covers to, well, bend the headlight beam.

Because we drive on the left, our headlights are pointed left to avoid blinding oncoming traffic. Of course this means in Europe that your headlighs will be aiming right in to oncoming traffic and can blind/dazzle/disctract drivers.


So don't leave home without them. If you buy them in Ireland, make sure they are for use on the continent, and not for visitors to Ireland (because these will just point the beam the same way that yours already aim).


You could probably pick some up in Halfords or similar.

munchkin_utd

the AA have a country by country guide to driving abroad, tips and legal requirements, drink driving and the likes.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html