ACL checklist for a relaxed holiday

Do you fancy hiking in the Swiss mountains, swimming in the North Sea, discovering Gaudí’s architecture in Barcelona or simply savouring the wilderness of Denmark? Whatever your destination, ACL is here to help you make the most of your well-deserved holiday. And to guide you in your preparations and assist you in all the steps you need to take, we’ve listed 11 essential points that you shouldn’t overlook:

• In case of a problem, the ACL Europe membership card
• The ACL APP: assistance at your fingertips
• Avoid breakdowns with the ACL Diagnostic Center
• ACL Clubmobil: rental for all your needs
• Check your child seats
• ACL Shop: inspiration and discovery
• Before you leave, ACL advises you from A to Z
• For campers: the Camping International Card (CCI)
• Loading the car: heavy luggage at the bottom, light luggage at the top
• Departure: leave well rested
• In case of a problem, the ACL Europe membership card

Thanks to its network of partner car clubs, ACL can help you anywhere in Europe. In the event of a breakdown or accident, simply contact the ACL Assistance Center on +352 26000 or via the eCall mobile smartphone application. We will then take care of providing you with the right assistance for your situation. With the Europe Card, you benefit from full assistance in Luxembourg, roadside assistance anywhere in Europe, a replacement vehicle to continue your journey, repatriation of your vehicle and passengers, dispatch of spare parts, payment of accommodation costs and much more.

ACL App and mobile eCall: assistance at your fingertips

Even if you’ve prepared as well as possible and taken all the necessary precautions, something unexpected may happen, such as a breakdown. If this happens, contact ACL on +352 26000 or via the ACL smartphone app. Its mobile eCall function allows you to contact our assistance centre directly, and your call will be dealt with as a priority. What’s more, you can enter your membership card and vehicle details before you travel. This information will then be sent to our staff in charge of your case during the call, which will considerably shorten the call. To offer you even more effective assistance, the application also allows you to be geolocated abroad (provided this is activated on your phone). So if you’re not sure where you are in an unfamiliar environment, our staff will be able to send help to your exact location more easily.

ACL Clubmobil: Hire for all your needs

Small city car, 7 or 9 seater, motor home, utility vehicle, ACL Clubmobil has a large number of vehicles available for rental to ACL members in Luxembourg and throughout the world. The advantages of renting from ACL Clubmobil include: all necessary insurance, a free parking space for your own vehicle, GPS, rental possible from the age of 18, no supplement for the second driver, pick-up and drop-off possible outside opening hours and much more.

Check child seats

During an awareness campaign last March, the Grand-Ducal police issued 13 taxed warnings (out of a total of 46) for underage passengers. In seven cases, the children were simply not wearing seatbelts, and in four cases, the underage passengers were not seated in approved seats. In two other cases, the seat was not suitable for the size of the child. In 2023, according to a survey by Touring Club Suisse (TCS), one child in two was either not properly secured in the car or not secured at all.

Here are a few tips to follow:

• Adjust the child seat to the child’s current height.
• As far as possible, place the child seat in the back seat. Entering and exiting the vehicle is safer on the outside of the road.
• When installing the child seat, follow the instructions for use and the car manufacturer’s instructions.
• Make sure the child seat is securely fastened to the vehicle.
• Tighten the seatbelt so that it fits snugly over the child’s body. Open or remove thick winter jackets.
• Booster seats with backrests offer greater safety and comfort than those without.
• Adapt the belt routing and head support to the child’s growth.
• Do not use rear-facing systems if there are active front airbags on the front passenger seat.

ACL Shop: inspiration and discovery

As well as a wide range of safety products, such as safety waistcoats, warning triangles, Keyless pockets and luggage fastening systems, the ACL Shop offers a wide range of travel-related publications. Guidebooks, road maps, discover all the latest travel literature and tourist attractions not to be missed at the ACL Shop in Bertrange or on Lëtzshop.lu.

Before you leave, ACL advises you from A to Z

ACL is your partner for all your travel needs, whatever your mode of transport. Depending on your destination, you’ll need to have some documentation ready to ensure that your trip goes off without a hitch.

The tourism department is on hand to provide you with as much information as possible about your destination and the route to get there. Our staff will help you define the best route to take, taking into account traffic forecasts and any tolls, and will provide you with a personalised itinerary free of charge. For some countries, you will also need a vignette (Switzerland and Austria), an international permit (outside Europe), an anti-pollution sticker (Germany) or a bip&go electronic toll tag (France, Spain, Portugal and Italy). You can get everything you need from ACL in Bertrange.

For campers, the Camping Card International (CCI)

The Camping Card International is like an international ‘passport’ for campers. It is accepted as proof of identity by all campsites taking part in the CCI operation. When you arrive, simply hand in your CCI card at the campsite reception and keep your identity documents with you for any other need. The CCI card offers very attractive discounts at over 3,100 campsites throughout Europe.

What’s more, the cardholder and the people travelling with him/her (a maximum of 11 people in total) are automatically insured against third-party liability risks at the campsite. The Camping Card International is valid for one year and is available to ACL and FICC members at a cost of €12 for vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes.

Does your motorhome weigh more than 3.5 tonnes? There is an option on the CCI card which, combined with the ACL Europe card, allows you to benefit from the repatriation of your motorhome or caravan weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, 10 metres in length and 3.20 metres in height, in accordance with the conditions of the Europe card. For vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes, the annual contribution is €26.

Loading the car: heavy luggage at the bottom, light luggage at the top

Even if we have the reflex to fasten our seatbelt, this does not always apply to luggage. The objects we carry, however harmless they may seem, can become dangerous projectiles in the event of an accident.

For your safety, it is therefore important to load the vehicle correctly before you set off. Heavy luggage should be placed at the bottom of the boot against the back of the rear seat, and lighter items can be placed around and above it, but not over the top edge of the back of the seat.

Bulky items that are not too heavy should be placed in the roof box. You should also bear in mind that driving a loaded, and therefore heavier, vehicle differs from everyday driving when the vehicle is unladen: steering reactions change, braking distance is longer and, if the roof is loaded, the car will have a tendency to lean when cornering.

The start: leave well rested

Whether you set off during the day or at night, it’s important for the driver to be well rested. Setting off after a day’s work can be risky and very dangerous. You should also avoid taking to the road after a heavy meal, as digestion can have tiring effects on the body. Above all, avoid drinking alcohol and taking medicines that make you drowsy.

It’s also important to be able to recognise the signs of fatigue quickly: involuntary lane changes, periods of absence, yawning, lack of concentration, heavy eyes… For your own safety, plan a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours and, if possible, take turns at the wheel. During breaks, do a few exercises or walk a few steps to avoid numbness. But the only solution to fatigue is sleep, so coffee, tea or even an open window will only conceal the signs.

Good luck with ACL!