What is an International Driving Permit?

I've traveled around the world and had the opportunity to drive in places such as London and Manila. I've always been amazed at how you can walk into a rental car company in some foreign land, and simply drive off the lot. I remember arriving in London a few years ago, picking up a Ford Fiesta at Budget Car Rental, and after being handed the keys, asking about British driving, or whether they offer any instructions or lessons. "Drive on the left, mate" was the only response.

Conversely, I can imagine someone from Japan, stepping off the plane, picking up a rental car at LAX and driving off the lot into a world of utter bewilderment. I always research the rules of the road in the country of my destination and also try to learn about driving habits or customs, so I'm not surprised once I hit the road.

In most countries, your own valid driver's license is technically valid. To be safe, it's best to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) from the Auto Club. This is a universally recognized document that confirms in ten languages your license is valid and translates all the key personal information. In the U.S., there are only two organizations authorized to issue IDPs to U.S. residents, the Auto Club (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA), each charges $15. for an IDP.

The IDP was actually created by a United Nations treaty and most member countries around the world recognize it. A key point to understand is an International Driving Permit is not a license. You must have a valid driver's license issued by your home country, along with the IDP. Drivers from other countries can use their own licenses in the U.S., along with a IDP issued by their own country's official agency.

There are also scams where companies offer to get consumers an IDP if they have a revoked or suspended driver's license, claimed it to be an alternative to a license. The IDP alone is worthless, it must accompany a valid driver's license.

In addition to getting an IDP, I always take some time before traveling to review the laws of my destination country. Before traveling to England, I made sure to check the driving laws. Of course they drive on the left, but I wanted to know about turning right on red, passing cars, maximum speed limits and other essential information.

Two more key tips for driving in foreign countries:

Get full coverage insurance

If you are driving your own car, be sure to check your coverage. Many policies will not cover your vehicle in Canada or Mexico, check into buying a supplemental, country-specific policy for your trip. If you are renting a car, consider getting the full insurance coverage to avoid any problems. If you choose to rely on credit card rental car coverage, check the policy carefully as it will require declining the rental car coverage.

Don't drink and drive

This one may be obvious, but the laws for drink driving are even more strict in Europe and many other places around the world. An an American traveler, it can be very easy to over-indulge as the alcohol may be more freely available and more freely enjoyed with meals.

Ted Sherman is a world traveler and editor of travel4people.com. You can follow him on Twitter @travel4seniors.

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Source:
U.S. Federal Trade Commission information page on International Driver's Permits - ftc.gov