Most people who have driven in another country for the first time have stories to tell of near misses and what appear to be unusual local road rules.  And there is no doubt that driving in a foreign country - and in a strange car if renting – can be an unsettling experience.  But leading vehicle rental company, National Car Rental, is aiming to make the whole experience a lot easier with its Drive Safe website.

Recently revamped with a wealth of new information and more countries, Drive Safe is the ideal tool for business and leisure travellers planning to rent abroad.  The unique international online road safety initiative accesses extensive expert local knowledge to help anyone renting a car enjoy their experience when driving abroad.

 

The new enhanced version of Drive Safe includes driving information on 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America.  It also offers more free advice and tips than ever before. Plus Drive Safe users can register for updates and news of special offers as well as add their own traffic tips, providing first-hand information for other visitors to the site.

 

“The rules and regulations for driving in foreign countries can often catch out motorists” confirmed Carmen Gomariz, Marketing Manager, National Car Rental EMEA.  “For instance, in Slovenia, drivers are required to use dimmed headlights 24 hours a day; in Kuwait the law follows a zero tolerance policy towards drinking and driving, and road hazards in Namibia include antelope and chickens!  But will new drivers to these countries know about these local motoring nuances?  The answer is probably no – added to which they will have the stress of driving in an unfamiliar car and sometimes driving on the other side of the road.

 

“Drive Safe addresses these concerns by providing up-to-date local information, making it easier than ever to brush up on local road safety before arriving in a new country.”

 

Users can find in-depth guidelines on key road regulations, including speed limits, alcohol limits and road tolls, as well as advice on country and city driving. Tips on rush hour times, parking rules and road safety initiatives are also included as well as the rules on whether hand held mobile phones can be used and what sort of child seats are required.  And all the information is accessible completely free of charge.

 

Plus Drive Safe does much more than just provide local driving advice.  It also offers key country facts for travellers including the currency, time zone, calling code and real-time weather forecast as well as access to a Google map for each country.  And there is a facility to find the best National Car Rental location for the journey as well as book online.

 

“Driving abroad can catch out even the most experienced of travellers” continued Carmen Gomariz.  “But whether it’s corporate travellers attending meetings in unfamiliar territories, or adventurous holidaymakers keen to see more of the country they are visiting, Drive Safe can help them enjoy their trip safely, by providing access to all the information they need at a click of the mouse.

 

“Drive Safe has been developed using the extensive network of local knowledge we have, collected from our operations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America.  But we are also keen for travellers to share their own knowledge and tips and that’s why we’ve added the Travel Tips section.  Visitors to the site can send us their own anecdotes which we will then upload for everyone to benefit from.”