g

Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

1.0 Purpose
To provide recommended guidance for driving in foreign countries

2.0 Scope
This guidance is recommended for all GE Personnel

The underlining principle is to avoid driving in foreign countries when

possible, but if you have to drive; be AWARE be PREPARED and be
PROACTIVE.

3.0 AWARE

Be AWARE of the conditions:

 Traffic in urban areas can be overcrowded, with no observance of the
Highway Code and no regard for traffic signals or policing. Accidents
caused by cars running red lights or moving without indicating are
common.
 Roads are often sub-standard or in some cases non-existent. Desert
areas are subject to reduced visibility in sandstorms. Tropical regions
may have roads washed away in heavy rain or turned into an
impassable quagmire.

Be AWARE of other others:

 Some foreign countries may have little vehicle maintenance,
serviceability and safe loading regulations. Vehicles will breakdown,
tires will fail and objects will fall off when you least expect it.
 Roads are often used for moving livestock or animals may be roaming
free. If you have a collision with some animals you may still face legal
prosecution in some countries due to local culture. You may also be
caught up in an argument with the animal’s owners where livestock are
involved.

Be AWARE of being the foreigner:

 If you cannot speak the language, avoid driving there. Not all signage
will be translated into a language you understand, which could result in
you becoming dangerously lost. If you are involved in an incident you
need to be able to communicate with the local authorities.

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 1 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

Be AWARE of the security threat:

 Crime: In the US alone there are over 20,000 reported cases of car-
jacking a year. Crime reports indicate carjacking is on the increase.
Africa, South and Central America and the Middle East lead in this
category.
 Terrorism: While on the road you are on a vulnerable channel between
two comparative safe havens – the accommodation and your office or
project site. The following is a translation of a Terrorist Surveillance Plan
captured and translated from a known terrorist organisation. See how
much it focuses on transportation. Incidentally, common criminals use
many of the same tactics.

Terrorist Surveillance Plan:

– What is the target (male/female)?

– What kind of group is he/she involved with?
– Description of target?
– What is his/her physical description?
– Is he/she married?
– How many children?
– Information about relatives (are they alive/where do they live)?
– Where does he/she live?
– What type of transportation does he/she use?
– Plate Number?
– How does he/she commute to work (personal travel/public
transport)?
– Where does he/she go? Get on? Get off?
– Where does he/she frequent? When? Address?
– What time does he/she leave and come home from work?
– What time does he/she leave and return from other locations?
– When he/she travels how many people travel with him/her?
– Who are these people?
– Do they carry guns? What type? How many?
– What other things do they carry with them, for example hand held
radios?
– Location of Security Forces during his/her movements?

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 2 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

– What and who are these Security Forces? When is he/she most
distant from them
– Sketch an exact map of the route from home to the places he/she
goes, the place he/she works, road and street conditions, the
residential area, and security in the area.

4.0 PREPARED
 Make sure the license you have from your country of origin is valid and
accepted in the foreign country, or you have an accepted International
Driving License.
 Know the laws and traffic regulations in the foreign country you are
driving in. Ignorance is no excuse.
 Ensure the vehicle you will be driving is suitable for the terrain it will be
used upon and ensure it is one that blends in amongst the local traffic.
Don’t make yourself a target by using a car that will attract attention.
 Always plan your journey prior to departure (see Route Selection). Have
a map and directions, a working mobile phone and knowledge of
telecoms coverage. If no mobile coverage, a satellite phone is a
prerequisite.
 Let someone from GE (or trusted client point of contact) know where
you are going and when you intend to get there. If it is a long journey,
report in while on route where it is safe to do so.
 Remember – the greatest threat to your safety is through speeding or
intoxicated driving by you and/or others. Plan your journey and give
yourself time to get there so you don’t have to speed – better late than
never. Never drive under the influence of alcohol or some types of
medication.

Ensure your vehicle is PREPARED:

 Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained, with a serviceable spare tire
(or two in rugged terrain areas), wheel changing equipment and with oil
and water levels checked regularly. Know how to change the wheel
before you start a journey.
 Do not let your fuel level drop below quarter, have a lockable fuel cap.
 Recommend that you carry the following equipment in your vehicle:
o Up to date road atlas or city plan (do not rely on computer GPS
systems).
o Bottles of drinking water

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 3 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

o Flashlight/Torch with spare batteries

o Mobile phone charger
o Basic medical pack or first aid kit
 Never leave anything of value on show when the car is unattended, or
anything that could identify you as a GE employee.
 Never leave personal details (addresses) in a vehicle or any form of
spare key.
 Limit access to your vehicle keys.

5.0 PROACTIVE

PROACTIVE Drivers:
 Proactive Drivers are those who observe what is unfolding ahead of
them with regards to potential and actual hazards, thereby giving
themselves plenty of time to react and change their driving accordingly.
Adhere to the SIPDE principle, that is:
o Scan the road ahead and the area either side of the road.
o Identify potential hazards, e.g. If passing a school a potential
hazard is a child running out into the road.
o Predict what the hazard may do.
o Decide upon your Course of Action to overcome the hazard.
o Execute the manoeuvre.
 Avoid driving at night – it limits your ability to identify hazards and
offers a means of concealment for potential attackers.

PROACTIVE Route Selection:

 If you are going to have to travel between locations on a regular basis,
use the map to work out alternative routes so that you can avoid
routine (refer back to the Terrorist Surveillance Plan).
 Also look into alternative routes for those “what if” scenarios. At home
you listen to local radio for traffic news but in a foreign country it may
not exist or if it does you might not understand it. If you arrive at a
blockage to your intended route you’ll want to know a diversion plan
quickly and get out of that area rather than get caught up in an
incident.
 Opt for fast wide roads that are normally fast flowing and have plenty of
lateral routes leading from them. Being wider they tend to offer more

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 4 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

options should something happen. Do not be tempted to take “cheeky

short-cuts” – they may put you in a more remote, less traveled region
with less police or security forces.

PROACTIVE Security while in transit:

 Central lock all doors when travelling. In slow moving traffic and
unknown areas ensure that you have your windows up so that an
attacker cannot reach into the vehicle.
 Where a known risk of carjacking exists, ensure that when you pull up
to traffic lights, or other stops in traffic, you leave at least one car’s
length between you and the vehicle in front. You should be able to see
where the vehicle in front’s rear wheels touch the road. This will give
you room to manoeuvre and drive out of danger if threatened.
 Keep your vehicle in first gear if manual (or “drive” if automatic) when
waiting at lights or in traffic jams. This is so if there is an incident you
can drive off immediately rather than having to think to engage gear.
 SEATBELTS! The most likely incident while driving in a foreign country is
a Road Traffic Accident. Always ensure you are wearing a seat belt and
insist all passengers are wearing theirs.
 Do not give rides to any one you don’t know and do not stop to offer
help to people stranded on the roadside. It may seem selfish but that
innocent breakdown could be a deadly trap.

PROACTIVE security when leaving a vehicle:

 As you park your vehicle, ensure that you take time to reverse it into a
parking space. This is for two reasons. Firstly it is better for road safety
as most accidents in car parks are as a result of reversing out from a
car parking space. Secondly, from a security point of view, it is far safer
and much quicker to make a speedy get away should an incident occur
as you approach the vehicle. Get in, start, and go!
 Also bear in mind:
o Always park in well-illuminated areas so that you can see who is
around when you leave or return to the car. The light will also
discourage others tampering with your vehicle when left
unattended.
o Try to park as near to where you are going as possible.
o Avoid delay when unlocking your vehicle: you may have been
followed and you will be distracted. Use your remote well in

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 5 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

advance and have your keys in your hand as you approach your
vehicle so that if need be you can make a quick getaway.
o Avoid leaving the vehicle unattended, but if you have to leave it
unattended consider the need to search the vehicle before you
get in.

Why search a vehicle?

 Common-sense dictates that we search our vehicles prior to use due to
the current terrorist threat in some TAS Security countries.
 The determined terrorist will try every means possible to successfully
achieve his aim… Killing.
 80% - 90% of terrorist attacks are conducted against their targets while
in vehicles.
 The easiest form of terrorist attack is in the form of a well-placed
Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on a vehicle.
 While set up for the extreme scenario of a terrorist attack, searching a
vehicle is also a good procedure for checking common wear and tear on
a vehicle such as nails in tires, loose wheel nuts and leaking oil or
coolant.

Stages of a search
Remember SCUBIE:
o Surrounding Area – Anything suspicious around the vehicle?
o Coach work – Do finger prints indicate it has been tampered with?
o Underneath – Are there cut cables or wires or any part out of
place?
o Interior – look in from the outside first, then search all
compartments and under seats.
o Engine Compartment - Are there cut cables or wires or any part
out of place?

Actions on finding anything suspicious

 Do not touch anything suspicious yourself.
 Clear away from the immediate danger area and try to ensure there is
hard cover between you and the vehicle.

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 6 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

 Cordon off the area as best you can by informing others of a possible
threat.
 Report the possible device to the police, emergency services or
compound/site security and allow them to confirm and clear the
possible device.

A few pointers on taxis

 Do not use unofficial or unmarked taxis.
 Only use taxis with clearly marked official markings.
 Lock the door once inside.
 Wear the seatbelt.
 Always sit behind the driver.
 If possible travel in groups.
 Pay the fare within the taxi and never outside.
 Never get out in a deserted area.
 Always carry a mobile phone.
Ensure a meter is running or that a fare is negotiated beforehand to avoid
potential confrontation later.

6.0 Choke Points and Safe Havens:

Choke Points:
 Choke Points are also known as “Danger Points” as they tend to be the
scenes of most traffic accidents and from a security point of view they
tend to be preferred by an attacker because they are normally where
the road user has to slow down or even stop. Examples include:
o Sharp bends and speed bumps
o Motorway exits
o Quiet, badly lit areas
o Tunnels and bridges
o Road works
o Traffic lights, pedestrian crossings
o Roundabouts, road junctions
o Any road condition that either slows you down or makes you stop.

Safe Havens:
 Safe Havens are places where you consider it to be safe, a place that
you can get protection, assistance and expect an immediate response.

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 7 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY
g
Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines

It is likely to be a place where an aggressor will avoid following you to

for fear of being caught. They may be identified from a map in advance
or observed while on a regular journey. Examples include:
o Police stations
o Police check points
o Expatriate and Security Forces compounds (DO NOT approach at
speed in case they mistake you for an attacker)
o Hospitals
o Army bases

Guidelines
Title: Driving in Foreign Countries Guidelines
Revision Date: 04/2012
Author: Keith Budd
External References:

GE PROPRIETARY UNCONTROLLED WHEN PAGE 8 OF 8

PRINTED OR TRANSMITTED
ELECTRONICALLY