Whether you’re on holiday with the lads, traveling for work or you’ve planned a nice family trip for the kids, you need to make sure that the car you’re driving is fully covered. It isn’t a shock that many people will fob off the hire car excess, thinking that they’re the best drivers on the road and that they could never possibly be in an accident. Unfortunately an accident can happen to absolutely everyone, not always through any fault of their own. So what should you be thinking about and looking out for when driving abroad in a hire car? Well firstly you need to get covered, because at the end of the day it could save you thousands of pounds. Hire car excess isn’t very much at all and covers all manner of things that your standard hire car providers do not cover. You can be covered not only for damage to the glass or body of the car but also for stolen keys and putting the wrong kind of fuel into the car. Covering your hire car ensures that any small mishaps are either avoided or already paid for, you’d be a fool not to really. Secondly you need to make sure that you’re educated well enough about the roads you’re driving on. Did you know that only 24% of Brits actually go out of their way to learn the road signs before going on holiday? That means a whopping 76% of British drivers effectively drive blind and have no idea of the rules of the road in that country. Even just learning the basic road signs, speed limits and what side of the road you’re meant to be driving on can dramatically decrease your chances of having an accident. Thirdly make sure that you have all the correct documents to drive abroad and the correct equipment in your vehicle required to drive on foreign roads. Documents you’ll need, if you’re British, are a valid and in date UK driving licence, all vehicle documents and an international driving permit. It’s not as simple as just jumping in a car and going for it, you need to be fully prepared should you be stopped for any reason by police; because even a routine stop can land you in serious trouble.   Equipment you’ll need includes a first aid kit and warning triangles, which should be provided by the hire car company you use but double check these are available to you before setting off. You should also make sure to check the hire car for any previous damages and make sure they’re noted down by the company, even a small scratch can cost you hundreds of pounds so make sure any damage the car has before you drive it are documented.   Lastly you need to remember that just because the car isn’t yours and that it’s covered that you can be any kind of careless. If the hire car company feel any accident caused is due to your own negligence, they will make you pay the price. Of course, if you’re on holiday, you want to relax and have fun but not at the cost of your own or anyone else’s life. If you’re the driver you are responsible for not only yourself but also the other people in the car with you.