When you take a trip abroad, it can sometimes seem like a bit of a waste to stay in one area. It’s not often that you get the chance to explore an exotic country, and you’ll want to make the most of it. One of the best ways to really see a country, is to go on a driving tour. It takes a lot more planning than your average holiday, but it’ll definitely be worth it in the end. If you’re itching to hit the open road and get to know a new country, here are the things you’ll have to sort out before you go.

Licence and Insurance

In most countries, your home driving licence won’t be accepted. You’ll need to get yourself an international driving permit, that gives you temporary permission to drive in that country. It is also worth checking what the legal driving age is. The age can vary quite a lot in different countries, and you don’t want to get caught driving underage.

You also need to look into your insurance. If you’re lucky, then your current policy might already cover you when you go abroad. If not, then you will need to extend it. By taking defensive driving traffic school online, you can cut the cost of your new policy, and brush up on your skills before doing some long drives.

Driving Rules

Don’t drive on the wrong side of the road. It might sound obvious, but some people still end up doing it. There are some countries around the world that drive on the opposite side of the road, so make sure you know if you’re going to one of them or not. You should also look into the road signs, as they might not be the same as ours. If you get pulled over for speeding, they won’t let you off because you read the signs wrong.

Plan Your Route Before You Go

It’s good to have a bit of flexibility, but it’s still best to plan a few stops along the way. If you don’t, you could end up wasting a lot of your holiday driving around aimlessly. If you are going with family or friends, try letting everybody pick one stop each, that way nobody will be disappointed. There are plenty of great travel apps out there that can help you with your route planning. Roadtrippers can plan a route for you using google maps and then show you what sights there are to see along the way.

Budget

People often make the mistake of thinking that, because they are saving money by driving, they can spend what they like. If you aren’t careful, you’ll run out of money halfway through the drive. Make sure you account for gas, accommodation, and food, as well as keeping a good chunk to the side for fun stuff. If you’re struggling, use a travel budget planner to help you.