Revealed: Driving Etiquette Around The World
A new global study by Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive platform, has revealed the weird and wonderful driving etiquette in over 180 countries worldwide.
Driving in a different country and navigating unfamiliar rules and customs can be a daunting prospect when you drive a car abroad - especially when there are so many unique and weird laws across the globe. To showcase the breadth of unusual driving laws worldwide, the experts at Auto Trader analysed hundreds of data sources to create a number of helpful maps that reveal strange and amusing driving laws in (nearly) every country worldwide.
Driving Etiquette Around The World
Whilst headlights are used in some countries to give way to other drivers, in nine countries, including Finland and Albania, drivers must keep their headlights on at all times of day for improved visibility.
Likewise, Auto Trader’s research reveals how your car horn could land you in trouble in places like Armenia where honking near hospitals or schools is banned, and in Bhutan, where sacred areas are declared “no horn” zones. On the flip side, in countries like Grenada and Fiji, honking is a friendly gesture to say hello.
If you're travelling to a destination known for its wildlife, be aware that animals often have the right of way. In New Zealand, drivers are legally required to yield to sheep, while in Botswana, motorists must give way to giraffes.
Weird Driving Laws In Europe
The research reveals that there are some particularly interesting etiquette rules in Europe. For instance, in the UK it’s illegal to ask others for change for a parking meter, whilst in Germany drivers are allowed to drive in the nude, and motorists in Cyprus are prohibited from drinking water or soft drinks while driving.
Speaking of drinking, in France and Slovakia, it’s a legal requirement for all drivers to have a breathalyser in their car – failure to do so could result in a fine.
Driving Etiquette In Africa
In Africa, driving rules are vastly different from nation to nation; however, a common feature in driving legislation is protecting their native animals. In Botswana and Namibia, animals have a right of way over cars, and hitting an animal can lead to jail time. Likewise, in Mauritania, camels frequently roam the roads and drivers are expected to yield to them.
Other noteworthy unusual driving laws found in Africa include it being illegal to reverse for more than 50 metres in Ethiopia, and in Rwanda, there is no driving on Sundays.
Driving Etiquette In Asia
Cleanliness and aesthetics are important when it comes to driving in Asia. Driving a dirty car is illegal in Oman, Kazakhstan, Iran and Azerbaijan – doing so could lead to an unwanted fine. In Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, you must drive white or light-coloured cars to bring good luck. Meanwhile, in India, cows are considered sacred so drivers must stop or navigate around them.
In Jordan, luxury cars are exempt from many of the rules. For example, a licence plate is a legal requirement for all drivers but if your car is a luxury make and model then a licence plate is not required.
Weird Driving Rules in South America
Interestingly, unlike any other country that Auto Trader researched, Bolivian authorities are the only ones to employ people in the city of La Paz to dress up as zebras to help people at zebra crossings.
Additionally, whilst it may initially seem odd, Ecuador has introduced a system where cars with plates ending in odd numbers can drive on some days and those with even numbers on others. This has been introduced to manage the ever-growing traffic in Ecuadorian cities.
Driving Etiquette In Oceania
On Christmas Island, ensure you look out for crabs during crab migration season, as these crustaceans have a right of way during that time of year. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, drivers are expected to patiently wait for sheep herds to pass before continuing their journey.
Down in Australia, some states make it illegal to leave your car unlocked, even if you’re just stepping away for a moment. So always be sure to double-check you’ve locked your car.
Driving Etiquette In North and Central America
The study also found that you can’t “furiously” race a horse or any other animal on a highway in Canada's Ontario. Down in Cuba, drivers are expected to pick up hitchhikers, and you can’t drive without wearing shoes in Paraguay without risking fines and even jail time.
U-turns are strictly prohibited in major cities like Belize City and pedestrians have the right of way in Aruba.
How Driving Etiquette Differs In The American States
The United States is brimming with weird state-specific driving laws. In Alaska it’s illegal to tether your dog to your car, driving blindfolded is prohibited in Alabama, and driving without a steering wheel is off-limits in Illinois.
Animals are once again factored into driving rules here; for instance, riding camels on the highway is forbidden in Nevada, and you must have a chaperone when transporting sheep in Montana. One of the most curious driving rules from the USA is that in Louisiana, a husband must wave a flag in front of his wife’s car before she can drive it.
While new cars come with helpful advanced technology that assists drivers navigating tricky situations on the road, language barriers and unfamiliar driving customs are just a couple of things where technology alone isn’t enough. We conducted this fun research with the hope it helps encourage travellers to research the driving laws and etiquettes before they drive in a new country - as well as providing some motoring-inspired entertainment by highlighting the quirky rules that currently exist around the world.
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