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Step 1
Obtain your international driver's license. This can be purchased at a local AAA office, for example. Such a license will help you avoid hassles with the authorities if you happen to get stopped in your rental car for whatever reason while driving overseas.
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Step 2
Determine, before your trip overseas, what kind of rental car you will need. A compact is great for gas mileage and speedy trips from place to place, but a bigger car has room for storage of luggage and souvenirs.
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Step 3
Check the local laws regarding rental car use in the travel office or the rental car office. Age restrictions apply and can differ from place to place. Credit restrictions can also come into play. If possible, clear up these issues by calling the rental car company from the States before your trip.
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Step 4
Become familiar with road signs in use at your country of destination. They are not always clear when you haven't grown up around them. Many use pictures rather than words, and the police won't care that you don't know what they mean if you get stopped. It's your responsibility to know.
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Step 5
Follow the speed limit. Authorities often watch for rental cars overseas and can stop you when you least expect it. The easiest way to run into trouble is to assume that you can flout the speed limit laws. It's best to stay within acceptable limits, or you may have some explaining to do.
