To ensure the trip brings only pleasure and no trouble, you need to prepare properly. Let's look at the basic rules of road trips in Europe.
Prepare documents and the car
The first task is to leave the country. To get through the border without issues, make sure you haven't forgotten at home any documents that control authorities might require. You need: Ukrainian driver's license and vehicle registration certificate (technical passport), a Green Card insurance policy (can be bought at the border), and, of course, a valid visa in your foreign passport (for each member of the crew).
Problems often arise if a small child is traveling in the car – they must be accompanied by both parents, or by one with a notarized document from the other parent stating they have no objection to the trip.
If you are going abroad in someone else's car, you need a notarized power of attorney from the owner. And if the technical passport has a note that the car is mortgaged (credit), the driver needs to get a letter from the bank confirming that the financial institution has no objection to taking the car abroad.
The car must be equipped with a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, tow rope, spare tire, and a 'UA' sticker. Make sure the license plates are clean and the information on them is clearly visible.
There are also requirements for the technical condition of the car – there should be no serious body damage (cracked windows or side mirrors, dents, missing body parts). In Europe, traffic police pay attention to tinting – a fine for black front windows is from 50 euros. In addition, some EU countries require a reflective vest – it must be worn, for example, when changing a flat tire in the dark.
Speed: from 50 to 130 km/h
On most European highways, the speed limit is 130 km/h. The left lane is intended only for overtaking (fines are provided for those who occupy the far left lane if the right lane is free).
Pay attention to signs – on some roads you cannot drive too slowly. Speed is mainly controlled by automated systems, while patrols with radars are mostly stationed at the entrances to populated areas (immediately after the sign indicating the start). Speed in towns and villages is limited to 50 km/h, with fines starting at 52 km/h.
Euro-traffic rules: keep right and don't flash headlights
The basic points of traffic rules in Europe are similar to ours. But there are differences. First of all, note that in most EU countries the rules do not distinguish between 'overtaking' and 'passing'. That is, in the area of a 'No Overtaking' sign, you cannot pass other vehicles. Also, outside populated areas, you cannot overtake on the right.
When merging onto a highway via an acceleration lane, you need to accelerate to 60-80 km/h or faster – to avoid endangering cars moving on the main road. On multi-lane roads, you should drive in the far right lane, and only switch to other lanes for overtaking. We have the same requirement in our traffic rules, but few comply. You cannot flash high beams at cars ahead asking them to yield the lane for overtaking – instead, turn on your left turn signal and have no doubt they will let you pass.
Also, in the EU, when braking sharply, it is customary to turn on hazard lights and 'chain' the signal to cars behind that the flow is stopping or braking suddenly. On highways, you can only stop at designated parking areas – the only exception is an emergency stop.
Drivers on European roads need to be especially attentive to pedestrians. While our traffic rules require stopping or slowing down after they step onto the crosswalk, in Europe this must be done as soon as they approach the crossing.
Another significant difference between European traffic rules and ours is the rule of the right supplementary traffic light section. If the main traffic light is green and the right supplementary section is off, it is permitted to turn right. The same applies if the main traffic light is red but the right supplementary section is on. Before turning, you need to slow down to let other cars and pedestrians pass.
Four non-standard situations for Ukrainians in the EU
Despite the fact that there are no serious differences between traffic rules in Ukraine and the EU, Ukrainian drivers sometimes lose money due to foolishness. We describe the most common cases.
1. Parking for the disabled. In our country, people with disabilities rarely drive. But in the EU, it is common. Their rights are strictly protected. So if you take such a person's spot near a supermarket, do not be surprised if the police tow your car.
2. Punishment is inevitable. Police in the EU often use covert patrol mode: they catch you not from the roadside but in the flow in cars that look like civilian vehicles.
3. Bypassing highways is pointless. There are entire websites dedicated to tips on how to drive not on toll roads but on alternative ones. They say it's free and the quality is the same. But you should know that the savings amount to only about 10 euros, but due to detours, constant roundabouts at road intersections, and endless populated areas with speed limits, such savings will result in overpayment.
4. Police do not come to the scene of an accident. If your car collided with another and only the metal was damaged, waiting for the police is useless: in the EU, it is customary to fill out a European accident report (appendix to the insurance policy).
Yevgeny OSTAPCHUK,
'Segodnya'.