Keep safe on holiday, learn 112 not 999

People are planning their spring and summer holidays and many will cross the channel and be driving in mainland Europe, but GEM Motoring Assist, formerly the Guild of Experienced Motorists, says that apart from knowing that they will have to drive “on the wrong side of the road” very few British are prepared for the experience and are unaware of the traffic laws in the country they intend to visit.

GEM, which is concerned for the safety of all road users, says that even mundane basics like knowing the single European emergency call number of 112 goes unheeded by UK drivers travelling abroad.

“The European Emergency Number Association established 112 as the EU wide emergency number more than a decade a go,” said David Williams, Chief Executive of GEM, “But it is far from common knowledge among UK citizens who think 999 will work everywhere.

“More than 100 million Europeans travel between EU countries every year and they cannot be expected to know or remember the emergency number of every member state. That is why learning 112 is so important. Using it could save at least 5,000 lives around Europe every year.”

To help confident driving when on holiday or business abroad GEM has produced a handy glove-box-sized guide called Your Introduction to Driving in Europe that is available free of charge as part of GEM’s road safety charity work.

Apart from general guidance and preparing your vehicle before you travel it deals with what to do if things go wrong and gives a simple country by country guide to rules and regulations that apply in different nations. In Germany for instance it is an offence to make rude signs to other road users and an offence to run out of fuel on a motorway. However carrying a petrol can in a vehicle in Greece is forbidden. In Spain and Switzerland if you wear glasses for driving you must carry a spare pair in the car. In Norway there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving and on hilly roads vehicles travelling down hill have priority.

To receive a free copy of the GEM introduction to driving in Europe call 01342 825676 or write to GEM Motoring Assist at Station Road, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5EN. For more details about GEM, its road safety programmes and other services, visit motoringassist.com.