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Take the stress and risk out of your European road journeys, says GEM Motoring Assist


ROAD SAFETY and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist has published advice for staying safe and secure on European road journeys this year. The advice takes the form of six top tips covering planning, equipment, safety, legal matters and security issues.


GEM’s tips are summarised as follows:


1. Check your documents before you go


Is your driving licence valid? Are the passports for everyone in your party all in date? Do you have appropriate insurance? Are you covered for the country or countries you’re visiting? Do you have breakdown cover as well?


Run through all the necessary paperwork in plenty of time, so that you have everything to hand on your journey.


2. Carry the right equipment Different countries have different rules. Most require that you carry high visibility refl ective jackets, a fi rst aid kit and a warning triangle. Some countries also insist on replacement bulbs and fuses, a fi re extinguisher or spare pairs of spectacles for any drivers who need them. French rules require that you carry a disposable breathalyser, but under the current system, police are unable to enforce payment of the €11 fi ne.


Make a point of checking the specifi c requirements for each country you plan to visit, so that


can exacerbate the symptoms of fatigue, and certainly don’t drink alcohol during journey breaks.


7. Be vigilant at motorway service areas


you won’t risk a fi ne if you’re stopped.


3. Know the rules


Make sure you understand the specifi c traffi c rules and signs. Drink-drive limits across Europe are lower than in the UK, and police offi cers in most countries can issue and collect on-the- spot fi nes for traffi c offences. If you’re in any doubt about local parking regulations, ask someone before leaving your vehicle. Remember, ignorance is no defence.


4. Budget for motorway tolls The European motorway network is excellent and extensive; you can cover long distances quite easily – but there is a price. For example, the 715-mile motorway journey from Calais to Fréjus on the Mediterranean coast will cost you a fraction under €100. Toll tags such as the French


‘Liber-t’ device can save time at tolls. Register your details online before you travel and you’ll receive your own tag which you place in the windscreen of your car. You can then drive through the toll plazas without needing to fi nd coins or credit card, as you receive an invoice and pay shortly afterwards by direct debit.


5. Fill up off the motorway You can save signifi cantly by leaving the motorway network to buy your fuel (and refreshments). For example, a litre of diesel costs around €1.37 (£1.16) at a French motorway service area, compared with €1.21 at a supermarket. Just be aware that the older automatic payment mechanisms at French fuel stations may still decline British credit cards (though the problem is much less signifi cant


than it used to be).


It’s also worth noting that bigger supermarkets have toilets and very reasonably priced cafés – and are often no more than a couple of minutes’ drive off the autoroute.


6. Don’t drive for so long that you become dangerously fatigued


Don’t ignore the early signs of fatigue when you’re at the wheel. Share the driving if possible, and take regular breaks. Fatigue-related crashes are most likely to happen between 2am and 6am, although there is also an increased risk during the afternoon, when our body clocks experience a natural dip in alertness.


Don’t be tempted to press on when you’ve been at the wheel for several hours.


Avoid heavy meals, as these


Don’t fall victim to crime when you’re enjoying a break on a long motorway journey. Huge numbers of people pass through service areas every day, making them hotbeds of criminal activity. Make sure you lock your car when you’re parking, and don’t leave high value items visible. Watch out for possibly bogus ‘offi cials’ who try to tell you that your tyres are illegal and that you’ll need to purchase a new set on the spot.


Don’t let children out of your sight at any time, and in particular make sure you accompany them to the loo.


8. Disable any speed camera alerting systems from your satnav before you arrive in France. There are harsh penalties in France if you are found with any sort of speed camera detection system in your car, regardless of whether or not you are using it. So make sure you disable the alerting mechanism before you drive anywhere in France. Check online if you are unsure of how to do this.


If you have a built-in satnav, then be sure to check with the car manufacturer if you are in doubt as to how you switch off the speed camera alerts.


Eight out of ten motorists have no idea about new speeding fi ne structure


More than eight out of every 10 British motorists are unaware of new speeding fi nes, which could see someone earning £50,000 pay a fi ne of £1000* for travelling 41mph in a 20mph limit, according to research carried out by leading consumer motoring website www.HonestJohn.co.uk In a survey carried out by the website**, 84% of respondents said they didn’t know what the new sentencing guidelines – which come into force next Monday - meant, while more than half (56%) were completely unaware that the penalties for speeding were changing.


Under new rules laid out by the Sentencing Council, the changes mean that magistrates have the power to fi ne motorists by up to 150% of their weekly take-home income, while even minor offences can lead to fi nes of up to 50% of an offender’s weekly income. There will be a cap of £1,000 per offence, or £2,500 if it is committed on a motorway.


HonestJohn.co.uk’s Managing Editor, Daniel www.cardiffandsouthwalesadvertiser.com


Powell, said: “While most people agree that excessive speed has no place on our roads, and that greater deterrents are likely to reduce the amount of deaths and injuries related to speeding, the new fi nes policy appears to have entered the law almost unnoticed.” The new speeding fi ne structure comes into force next Monday (April 24) and gives judges and magistrates the power to fi ne motorists up to 150% of their weekly income for the worst speeding fi nes, or up to 50% of their income for creeping over the limit, within 10mph of the prevailing maximum. While the new rules set the bar for speeding fi nes, there are no plans to remove the option of Speed Awareness Courses for fi rst time minor offenders. At present, those caught speeding by a small amount are frequently offered a half-day awareness course in lieu of points on their licence, with the courses costing the same as the equivalent fi xed penalty. How these will be charged under the new system is as yet undefi ned.


Cardiff & South Wales Advertiser – Friday 28th April 2017 - 21


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