There is a very handy Foreign and Commonwealth Office widget that lists driving rules and advice for countries all over the world, so there should be no reason to get on the wrong side of the law wherever you take your caravan or motorhome.
Other than that here are some pointers for some of the most popular countries that you may be driving to:
- France requires a minimum distance of 50 metres between your car and the one in front, and all drivers in France legally have to carry a portable breathalyser test. (They cost about two euros for a single use test and are available in most French garages and supermarkets.) France also requires at least one high visibility vest to be carried in every vehicle; in Spain, it's one vest per passenger as a minimum.
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Check rules on showering and bathing for different countries you visit. If you're planning on a dip in a natural hot spring at a campsite in Sweden, for example, you might be asked to shower naked and rinse out your swimwear in front of the lifeguard before being allowed in the pool, to avoid contamination of the natural waters. In France, men are only allowed to wear Speedo-style swimming trunks in the pool, not shorts, and everyone going for a dip has to wear a bathing cap.
- Driving while wearing sandals or flip-flops (or barefoot) is illegal in Spain, as is driving bare-chested.
- It’s illegal to run out of fuel on the autobahn in Germany.
- In Denmark, drivers must have headlights on at all times, even in the daytime . Drivers must also check their brakes, steering and lights before each journey – and honk their horn for good measure.
