Driving tips and safety blog posts

Driving in winter can be treacherous. As a driver it is imperative that you ensure both you and your car are safe on the roads during this difficult time – and that means being prepared. Wintertime brings with it a range of adverse climate and road conditions. Many of us will be used to travelling in icy, wet or windy conditions but you should never underestimate Mother Nature when making your preparations. © Copyright Sylvia Barrow and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence C Read More >>

  Driving when you’re tired can be extremely dangerous and is one of the biggest causes of road accidents in the UK. It is therefore important to understand the risks of driving when tired and how you can avoid the dangers. Here are some top tips to prevent you falling asleep at the wheel: Take a break from driving every two hours – Try and plan a 15 minute break every 2 hours of your trip. A short stop over gives you a chance to get out of the car and wake yourself up a bit. Take a s Read More >>

We’ve had many questions on the electronic toll payments on the Portugal toll roads so here’s some useful information to put you at ease on your travels! When driving in Portugal you may experience electronic tolls where you will not need cash, but where an electronic tracker identifies the vehicles on the road and generates an automatic charge. When renting a car with Avis in Portugal, you can take advantage of the Avis e-Toll Solution. The Avis e-Toll solution makes an electronic payment Read More >>

Looking for inspiration this winter? Here are the web’s top 20 most searched-for foreign winter holiday destinations for car hire. Malaga Popular with those escaping the cold in the Spanish winter sun or embracing it in ski resorts of the Sierra Nevada. Orlando A family destination all year-round thanks to family resorts like the legendary Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Alicante The city and region are used to catering to English-speaking tourists and one of the most popular destinat Read More >>

According to a recent European study, prolonged night time driving can be as hazardous as driving drunk! The report, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, claims that up to 20% of accidents in industrialised countries can be attributed to fatigue and that driving as little as 3 hours at night was similar to being intoxicated. The Highways Agency estimated in 2009 that 300 people die each year on the UK roads in sleep-related incidences. I have to admit to being slightly surprised by the Read More >>

As many of you’ll be heading to South Africa for the football & will be renting a car, we’ve teamed up with the Department of Transport to provide you with helpful driving tips to make your trip more relaxed & enjoyable. For many people the challenge of driving an unfamiliar vehicle is hard enough, but is made more daunting by having to drive on the left hand side of the road – something which we assure you gets easier after the first day. The trick, aside from the gear leve Read More >>

Did you know that fuel consumption can vary by up to 45% on the same route depending on how you drive? As well as renting from our new, fuel-efficient Avis Eco Collection, by following our Eco Driving Tips you can save money and reduce your emissions on all your car journeys: 1) Plan your journeys. Plan your journeys to avoid peak periods, road works and getting lost – you will have a more relaxing journey and will waste less fuel. 2) Drive smoothly Try to avoid harsh acceleration and brakin Read More >>

With wind, rain, ice and snow – winter can throw the very worst at us. So to help make sure you are prepared when travelling by car this season, here’s some helpful advice from the Highways Agency. For a smoother journey check your vehicle is ready for winter. Regularly servicing and checking your vehicle is in good running order before setting out, will reduce your chances of breaking down on the road. It’s worth making these checks regularly – especially before a long journey: • C Read More >>

We know that many drivers are unsure of how to cope with conditions on the roads during the winter months. And it’s not just ice and snow which cause problems. You also need to take extra special care when there is fog, wind, rain, wet leaves and glare from the sun! We have teamed up with Interactive Driving Systems, to help you become more aware of the risks and keep you safe when you are driving this winter. Our top 10 tips for driving in the winter 1) Check the weather conditions before yo Read More >>

Apparently it’s all relative, time, space…and even which side of the road is right and which one is wrong. I’ve recently passed my driving test in the UK and having originally learnt to drive in Italy, and have to admit that the first impact with driving on the left, was well, interesting. As my driving instructor eloquently put it, in the UK: “left is right and right is wrong…”, and that little mantra will probably stick with me forever. But that got me thinking about all the Briti Read More >>