DRIVING ABROAD - KEEPING SAFE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD

Heading abroad? A little worried about what it's going to be like driving on the 'wrong' side of the road? It's understandable. Driving on the right hand side of the road will always seem strange at first: concentration is the key. Easy for me to say I know, but maybe these IAM tips will help.

First, make sure you know the rules of the road in the country that you are in and obey them. Many rules and traffic regulations will be the same as in the UK, but some countries do have particular rules and regulations. They are often enforced with greater firmness and being a tourist may not get you off the hook. For example, French autoroute police can calculate your average speed between tollbooths, issue a ticket on this evidence alone and impose on-the-spot fines.

In some countries, again France for example, vehicles approaching from the right usually have priority. Local people will usually expect everybody to comply with this rule.

Make sure that you understand the meaning of all road signs and obey them. Most of them will be familiar to you and the meaning of those that are not should be fairly obvious. Remember the general rule: - triangles warn, circles prohibit and rectangles inform.

In most European countries, it is a legal requirement that drivers carry a red warning triangle in case of breakdown or accident. If you do break down or have an accident, put the red triangle at least 50 metres (164ft) before the obstruction and on the same side of the road: 150 metres (492ft) on the hard shoulder of motorways. At night or in poor visibility, do not stand behind your vehicle or let anyone else do so: it could prevent other drivers seeing your rear lights.

Say 'Think Right - Look left' to yourself every time you start to drive or approach a roundabout or road junction. This will put you in the right place on the road, travelling in the direction of the traffic flow and looking in the direction from where the ...