Don’t leave home without an International Driving License or Permit if it is your intention to drive through several of the members States that make up the European Union. Of course, should you hold a new style British license that doubles as the EU driving permit your past problems of driving on the Continent should be over. Alas, would that life was that simple.
Q. What is the International Driver’s License, (IDL), or Permit, and what is it’s intended purpose?
R. It is simply a translation of your original license into ten major languages and it is intended to assist the traveller when passing through a country that might not recognize your original permit owing to the language difference. Having said that, if the country in which you intend to travel absolutely prohibits driving under your original permit, an IDL, in theory, will not help you.
The document itself is a small booklet with several pages that contain the name, place and date of birth, and address of the holder in the country of issuance, as such details appear in the original license. On the primary page there will appear a photograph of the holder, and this will also be the signature page. The same information appears on the subsequent pages but in different languages. Normally they are only issued in the country of original issuance of the primary license and may only be valid for one year, although under certain circumstances validity can be extended for three years. Automobile associations can be helpful in obtaining an IDL.
It should be clearly seen that this facility is designed for the travelling public. It does not act as a substitute for foreigners who take up residence in one of the EU countries who may be required to hold a local license. I have a couple of examples in mind:
- You have come to Spain to take up residence. You hold an old-style non-photo British license. Firstly, you need to have that license translated by a judicial translator for the benefit of the police officer. Otherwise, he cannot even begin to understand what he is looking at. The law in Spain says that such a permit is lawful, but it is highly likely the attending officer won’t think so. And there you are, caught in the middle.
To make matters worse, such an officer may not even accept from a resident as valid a British, or other country issued EU style license. The only response that you can give to such an officer is that your license is registered on the Spanish police computer, (if this is so). However, to get your license registered will be an uphill battle because the clerks at Trafico think that it is not necessary, and will refuse to do it. (Hire a business agent, an Asesoria, or Gestor to handle this aspect for you.)
I am deliberately placing emphasis on this matter because I have encountered several people who are living and working in Spain and driving on licenses issued outside the EU. Because they hold IDL´s in conjunction with their original license they believe that they are safe. Some have even been given a pass through documentation check-points, and they use this as evidence that they need do nothing more to be in compliance.
The real problems will start when, or if such a person is the one to have caused an expensive accident. Insurance companies only pay those claims that they absolutely have to by law. They examine each claim looking for the one thing that will let them off the hook. (This is because the insurance policy is a legal contract, subject to various exclusionary clauses). At the top of the claim’s check-list is the question: Was the person, presumed to be at fault in the accident, in possession of a valid and current driver’s license?
The license will be subject to the most intense scrutiny, and what went flying by an officer at the side of the road could bring the claim’s process to a screeching halt, with jaw-dropping consequences for the individual. Conversely, often the officer at the side of the road is overruled by Trafico, or the courts, or the insurance companies. This will be a relief after the initial hassle, but of course, the idea is to avoid such unpleasantness in the first place. When visiting other countries, if you are in possession of an IDL you have a little bit of extra “insurance” to cover possible misunderstandings.
So far, we haven’t even got out of first gear in our intended trip through Europe. We now have 27 plus countries on our itinerary, so we better get started. Once having visited places of interest in Spain we can set off in any direction that takes our fancy. The Spanish will warn us that people drive like absolute maniacs in Portugal and in Italy. Neither of those countries are complimentary about Spanish drivers, but all three are united against the French. So, we shall see. Wherever we go outside Spain we will need to raise our alertness to a higher level than normal because having trouble away from home is always more bothersome because of the distance.
Why go to Portugal on a driving holiday?
For the change of scenery! A change, it is said , is as good as a rest. Portugal offers destinations such as Lagos, in the southwest corner of the Algarve with superb beaches and many points of historical interest dating from the 15th century. Lagos was once the capital of the Algarve. Like Spain, the Arab influence is very strong, especially along the Ponta da Piedada, a favourite with visitors.
The Costa Azul is the Atlantic coast and takes in Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, and along to Porto in the north. Lisbon itself is a thoroughly modern and exciting city to visit. One could be fully occupied and never leave the city, but around and about there are castles, churches of great importance, museums, palaces, great parks, archaeology digs, and of course, great golf courses. While it’s true that one can find many similar such interests in Spain, you have to go to Portugal to experience the Portuguese hospitality and way of doing things.
And so our great adventure has begun. We will return to our travellers to follow them into Gibraltar, then again through Spain’s Costas, into France and into Italy. But for now we bid them good luck, and safe driving.
Always wear the seat belt. It’s meant to save your life!
Copyright (c) 2008 Eugene Carmichael
