Released in 2006

Haynes helps holiday drivers

What does stop-verbod mean? In which European country must you purchase a vignette to use the motorways? In Spain, you are required to carry two warning triangles - true or false?*

This year, around three million British motorists will take their cars across the Channel. Millions more will hire a car in mainland Europe. But driving abroad is not just a question of keeping to the right.

There are many rules and regulations to be aware of - from speed limits to equipment you must carry. Then there are different customs for flashing your headlights, sounding your horn and overtaking. What happens if your car breaks down? And how do you find your way when the direction signs are in a foreign language?

Fortunately, there's a book that answers these questions and gives you all the information you need before venturing abroad - anywhere in the world, not just Europe. It's published by Haynes and is called Driving Abroad - it's a companion glovebox guide to Your Car, which contains everything you need to know about owning and maintaining your car.

If the name Haynes sounds familiar, that's because its service and maintenance manuals for cars, vans and motorcycles are best sellers. More than 150 million have been sold and the Daily Mirror described them as "legendary".

* Answers: Stop-verbod means no parking in Dutch. You need a vignette to use the motorways in Austria and Switzerland. True - in Spain you must carry two warning triangles, spare bulbs and a reflective jacket.

Click this link for an insight into the sort of information in Driving Abroad. Below are some tips from the book:

1. The death rate on UK roads is lower than in most other countries. In Greece and Portugal, it's about four times higher than the UK. Remember the basic rules of safe driving: read the road, anticipate, create space, assume the worst and concentrate.
2. Check your tyres, lights and windscreen for damage each day. Check the engine oil level and tyre pressures (when cold) at least weekly - more often if covering high mileages.
3. In many countries, drivers must give way to traffic coming from the right, unless signs (typically a yellow diamond) indicate otherwise.
4. It may be tempting to drive at high speeds on an unrestricted Autobahn, but doing so requires a lot of skill and concentration and will significantly affect your car's fuel economy.
5. Opt for public transport whenever you can - especially in big cities. It's much more relaxing.
6. In-car navigation systems can help you find your way around, but make sure you have the correct digital maps.
7. You may not find super unleaded (98 octane) or lead replacement petrol on the continent - check that your car can run on normal 95 octane unleaded. Fuel prices for most European countries can be found on BBC2 Ceefax.
8. Cyclists are generally treated with much greater respect abroad than they are in Britain. Expect to find many more cycle lanes (some giving cyclists the right of way) than in the UK. In France, you must leave a two-metre gap when overtaking a cyclist.
9. Most countries have lower alcohol limits than the UK and treat drink-driving very seriously. In some parts of America, it is illegal to have any alcoholic drink in the passenger compartment - it must be put in the boot (trunk).
10.  If you already have a number of penalty points on your licence and commit an offence abroad that attracts more points, your licence could be confiscated and you will have to find some other way to get yourself and your vehicle home.