Important driving tips for Turkey

Following on from our blog ‘London to Turkey road trip’, we bring you a number of important tips for driving safely in this large country, which straddles both Europe and Asia.

While Turkish drivers may not exhibit the same etiquette as UK motorists, the laws are if anything more strict than Britain’s, so it is important to know the main laws before you arrive.

• Turkey has strict drink driving laws, so it is important that you are never to be under the influence of alcohol whilst driving.
• Keep your vehicle documents and passport handy, in case you go through a police check point. However, most tourists are merely waved through.
• If you are involved in an accident, it is crucial that you do not move the vehicle, but wait for the traffic police or Jandarma to arrive. Even if a vehicle is blocking a road, it must not be moved until the police permit it.
• Be careful when buying petrol – ensure it is the correct type for your vehicle. It may not always be clear at the petrol pump what kind of petrol it is, so try to ask the petrol attendant; they may speak enough English to help.
• In Turkey, as in much of Europe, you must drive on the right, and yield to traffic approaching from the right.
• Many roads in Turkey are of poor quality – especially in rural areas – so beware of potholes.
• Speed limits: built up areas 50 km/hr; on the open road 90 km/hr; on the motorways: 120 km/hr
• Ensure you have breakdown cover for Europe before you go.