Are you planning to visit the United States from overseas? There’s no doubt you should take a road trip around the country. Many attractions and real gems of nature can be reached only by car. And here come the important questions: Who is going to be driving? What type of driver’s license is required for foreign drivers in the U.S.? And what documents are needed to rent a car?

Let’s take a look at the license situation first: if you’re short-term visitor in the United States, in most cases you’re allowed to use your country’s drivers license, but it should be used with an International Driving Permit (IDP), which translates the information contained on your official drivers license into 10 languages. Make sure you have your IDP before arrival to America, because it can be issued only in your home country.

Learn the Rules of the Road

Now, after you have your local drivers license and International Driving Permit, you’ll almost be ready to travel on America’s roads! Almost? Yes, another important thing you should do to feel safe and confident is to get familiar with the local traffic rules and laws! And you can easily do it with  foreign visitors drivers education . Even though the laws and rules differ slightly from state to state, the majority of traffic signs and signals are the same. You can easily learn them with this online course, which is easy to follow: it’s written in simple language, and features 3-D traffic situations and interactive case studies. The lessons are engaging and fun–the best way to learn crucial information. The program is definitely a good investment that will make your trips safer and more secure, especially if you’re visiting the country for the first time.

Renting a Car Without a Hitch

Another important thing to check out before coming–the rules of the car rental companies that you are planning to rent from. The rules vary from one establishment to another. Many of the car rental companies have a minimum and maximum age for drivers, and some ask for a drivers license issued within the last year. To choose the company that suits you and your needs, check out these helpful tips on international car renting .

To make sure that your trip will go smoothly and that you only have pleasant adventures instead of confusion and disagreeable surprises, plan your trip in advance.The more more details you hash out now, the fewer unexpected incidents will happen to you during the trip!

Don’t Forget To…

• Get local maps or download international maps on your GPS.
• Familiarize yourself with the road and weather conditions of the places you’re heading to.
• Get a rough idea of how much time you will spend at every attraction to keep up with your schedule, and to avoid getting exhausted from driving and visiting all planned landmarks and adventures.

And if you’re still looking for places to visit, check this  list of road trip ideas , that we put together earlier.