April 24, 2005
The Sunday Times
£200 to drive legally in Europe
Drivers taking a holiday in Europe this summer might have to spend more than £200 on equipment to stay on the right side of the law, the AA has warned....
On May 1, Austria will become the third European country to demand that all car drivers carry reflective jackets, to be worn in case of breakdown. Failure to comply could bring on-the-spot fines of £20. Italy and Spain already demand that drivers carry the jackets, with fines of £95 and £62 respectively.
“The situation is getting out of control,” says the AA. “Countries are introducing regulations willy-nilly. The result is an ever-increasing burden on motorists.”
Almost all European countries now require drivers to carry a warning triangle, but the list of other compulsory equipment is growing fast.
Many countries expect cars to be equipped with a first-aid kit; in others, including Greece, a fire extinguisher is obligatory; and Spain and the Czech Republic require drivers to carry spare headlight bulbs.
In most cases, an instant fine is payable if regulations are not followed.
“It’s extremely confusing, and quite expensive, to adhere to it all,” says the AA. “If you were to drive across Europe, you could pay £200-£300 to stay within the different laws.”
It believes the regulations may be in breach of the Vienna Convention, which states that cars need only comply with the relevant laws in their country of registration.
A list of requirements for all European countries is available at
www.theaa.com.
