Powered by Mondial Assistance UK, TomTom Assist, urges travellers to eliminate any unnecessary stress of driving abroad with forward planning. “Driving in a foreign country doesn’t have to be a headache. Satellite navigation systems reduce considerable nervous tension for the driver and passengers alike, but having adequate breakdown cover in the event of a breakdown or accident is invaluable,” says Damian Woodward, Vice President sales and marketing TomTom UK & Ireland.
“Whether on holiday in France with family or on a business trip in Milan, getting stranded miles from home is never fun, especially if you don’t know the language. Furthermore, the unexpected cost of recovering a vehicle back to the UK is an expense that could break most holiday budgets. With TomTom Assist holidaymakers can set off knowing they have done everything to prepare for the worst, leaving them free to sit back and enjoy their trip, knowing they are covered.”
Whilst TomTom Assist is urging travellers to check that they have breakdown cover that includes the cost of returning the car to the UK, as well as accommodation and onward travel, it is offering holiday makers motoring abroad this Easter some valuable Top Tips for preparing for a stress free journey:
TomTom Assist’s Top Tips for Driving Abroad
- Take your driving licence, insurance certificate, roadside assistance and vehicle registration document. However check if roadside assistance isn’t already included in any other policy or account you may have such as a bank account.
- Check with your insurance company that you’re fully covered to drive abroad including any medical expenses resulting from an accident.
- Check with your motor assistance provider that you have the right level of cover on your vehicle and whether the cover changes in continental Europe from that in the UK.
- Request a Green Card from your insurance provider. Even though the card is not required by law to cross borders within the European Union and some other countries, it will provide proof that the minimum third party liability cover required by law in the visited country is in force. Check with your insurer to make sure that your UK policy cover is fully in force when you travel abroad whether or not a Green Card is issued.
- Plan your route in advance. Pack a map and/or GPS unit.
- Have your car serviced if it is due and do the essential checks on oil, tyres, petrol, battery and water before you leave as these are the most common causes of breakdown.
- Buy headlamp deflector strips and a warning triangle. Headlights must be dipped during the day, for example this is the law in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Iceland.
- Check you have a spare wheel and a jack, first-aid kit, jump leads, a torch, fuse kits, reflective jacket and spare car light bulbs.
- Familiarise yourself with the country’s motoring laws, print a copy if need be and keep it in the car. For example, blood-alcohol limits vary and are not always the same as in Britain.
- Place a GB sticker on your car; if not you could get an on-the-spot fine. If you have a GB Euro-symbol on your number plate then you don’t need a GB sticker when driving in Europe.
- Check which side of the road you’ll be driving on.
- Ensure you are driving at the country’s speed limits.
TomTom Assist is available to everyone at tomtomassist.com offering a range of memberships starting at £34.99. TomTom Assist Plus Europe offers assistance across 34 EU member states and includes onward travel, vehicle repatriation, vehicle replacement and accommodation if needed.
[Story from Easier.com]