A road trip is the best way to explore the UK. It gives you the most freedom and personal agency when deciding where to go and how long to stay.
It also allows you to enjoy the scenery for which the UK is so well known.
As is the case with any international trip, it’s best to make a few preparations before your trip and therefore make the process less stressful, allowing you to concentrate on the voyage instead of administrative and mundane matters.
What Kind of Documents to Carry with You?
The most important documents you’ll need are the passport and the International Driver’s License for UK.
The permit is only valid when you have a national driving permit with you. The two need to be up to date in order to use them as driving documents.
You’ll also need to produce these documents when renting a car.
Some renting agencies will also require you to have a credit card from a well-known and reputable brand such as Visa or MasterCard. Additional documents pertaining to insurance are also necessary.
Plan the Trip Starting with Its End Point
An important consideration to make when renting a car is where you plan to leave it off.
There’s also an option for renting a car with a one-way arrangement, but those are rather expensive and not worth it if you plan your trip in advance.
By having an endpoint as a part of your itinerary you’ll be able to drop the car off, save money in the process and still have a great trip.
Even with the start and endpoint defined in advance, you can still have plenty of freedom in deciding what to visit and how long to stay.
There’s No Need to Pay for GPS
There are times when a GPS can be a useful feature, and it’s worth paying extra to make sure you can find your way around.
There’s really no reason to pay for it when visiting the UK. Google Maps will have you covered even in the most remote parts of the country.
If you’re worried about internet access, which can be a problem, when you’re far away from major cities, it’s still possible to download Google Maps, while online.
The maps will be just as detailed and precise as those you could find online.
Local Driving Laws Apply
Even when you’re driving with an international permit, local laws and regulations still apply to you. Not following them can result in a fine and those tend to increase if you’re making a lot of traffic violations.
Sometimes, traffic regulations in the UK can be noticeably different than those in the rest of Europe.
For instance, many find themselves surprised to learn that there’s no “right on red” rule in the UK, and trying to make such a turn can cause an accident with you to blame.
If you’re confused about the differences you should take the time to learn a bit about them, before making the trip in the first place.
Keep an Eye on the Weather
The UK isn’t known for its sunshine and you’ll have to get used to the rain and gloomy skies during your trip.
However, it’s not the rain that troubles most visitors, but the speed and frequency with which the weather tends to change within a day.
It’s always a good idea to pay attention to the weather forecast, but that may not always be enough. To make sure you’re comfortable during your trip make sure you plan for a sudden rainfall.
It’s best to have an extra pair of boots, a water-resistant jacket, and a small umbrella with you at all times.
The Speed Limit
UK traffic authorities aren’t flexible when it comes to following the speed limit. Those that don’t pay fines even if you were just a few miles per hour over the official limit.
It’s best not to test the authorities on this and to stay within the limit. It will make your trip more comfortable and save you the money you would otherwise pay on fines.
The national speed limit is set at 60 miles per hour on single-carriageway roads, and 70 miles on dual carriageways.
There are areas, however, where the limit is much lower than that and it can be as low as 20 miles per hour.
There are signs indicating which limit applies to what area. The national limit is marked with a white circle on the road signs.
Ella Marcotte
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