Guidance for Driving U-M Students Abroad

U-M does not recommend that faculty, staff, or students drive U-M students abroad if there are reasonable alternatives. If faculty, staff, and students must drive U-M students abroad while on U-M Related Travel, they must follow these 2 steps.

Step 1 –  Complete the Fleet Services Vehicle Record Check (pts.umich.edu/internal/mvr) and list either their U-M sponsor/administrative contact or Patrick Morgan (Chief International Travel Safety Officer: morganpt@umich.edu) as the designee. 

Step 2 – Drivers must notify the designee and confirm that they:

• Have the proper license in the jurisdiction where they plan to operate the vehicle
• Have collision and liability insurance for the vehicle
• Verify that the vehicle is properly serviced to meet safety standards / laws of the jurisdiction where they plan to operate the vehicle
• Understand and abide by local traffic laws, regulations and ordinances
• Understand the risks of driving in the location abroad. Resources include:
  • The “Transportation Security” section of your country’s OSAC Country Security Report
  • Within the “Travel and Transportation” section of your country’s U.S. Department of State Country Information page.
  • Within the Crisis24 Country Report, which has a “Infrastructure” section that covers transportation. See instructions for logging into Crisis24 here. https://global.umich.edu/travel-safety-and-wellness/crisis24-horizon/

For an overview of general considerations, travelers can review the OSAC Road Safety Abroad report and the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad.

For questions, contact the Global Engagement Team at global.safety@umich.edu.