UK holidaymakers are setting off across the globe on holiday this summer and many will have to adapt to foreign roads as they drive around.
It is important that drivers familiarise themselves with local driving rules to avoid being caught out abroad and receive hefty fines.
While some foreign driving laws make sense, including being banned for wearing flip-flops while driving in Spain, there are also some prosecutable offences which seem completely abnormal.
Perhaps the oddest of the lot hailing from Denmark, where drivers must check under their car for sleeping children before setting off.
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Millions of UK motorists are expected to travel on holiday in the coming months
GETTYHowever, many other countries boast unique driving laws which give the Danes a run for their money, so experts Swansway Motor Group have put together a list of some of the wildest on the planet.
Following Denmark’s safety-first approach, it is illegal to drive in Bulgaria without a fire extinguisher in the car and in Sweden you must always have your headlights turned on regardless of the time of day. That’s lit!
Whether you keep your car tidy or not you must give it a regular clean in Russia where you could be fined for having a dirty car.
However, if you want to clean your car in Switzerland, make sure not to do so on a Sunday as this is against the law.
One location where a dirty car might be allowed is Germany where you are free to drive naked.
This is because cars are seen as private spaces so you’re free to dress as you please. Just remember to put your clothes back on before you get out!
That German law may cause a rude awakening for drivers from Thailand where you must always have a top on when driving. Another crime against fashion comes from California, where it is illegal for women to drive in a dressing gown.
In Spain, it is also illegal for drivers who wear glasses to not have a spare pair with them in the car. This law also applies to Switzerland and Portugal so holidaymakers who forget to pack spare glasses would be making a huge oversight.
Some laws are only enforced part-time. In Denver, USA, it is illegal to drive a black car on a Sunday, while in the Philippines you cannot drive a car on a Monday if its license plate ends in one or two.
There are plenty of wild rules about animals too, in South Africa, you could be heavily fined for not slowing down when passing livestock.
Drivers in the United Arab Emirates get the hump when they must give way to camels. Similarly, in Florida, if an elephant is tied to a parking meter in Florida, the owner must put money in the meter.
Although these rules seem odd, Swansway were keen to warn drivers that It is well worth doing some research on the local roads ahead of their holiday.
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Drivers should check foreign rules before travelling abroad
PAWherever you’re headed this summer it is worth getting to know the local laws as although these examples seem extreme, other driving rules which are more sensible could catch drivers out leaving them with a nasty, holiday-ruining fine.
Thomas Manaton, driving expert at Swansway Motor Group