Driving is on the right with overtaking on the left. Most of the rules are the same as you would expect in Western Europe. Turning right or left at a red light illegal. Israel has an increasing amount of speed traps so watch the speed limits. Although the weather is hard on Israel's roads they have a good track record of repairing them and building new ones.
Remember that nothing happens in Israel from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown which is the Sabbath, so it is a good idea to have a car if you want to get around. Normally roads which go south-north have even numbers and roads which go west-east and odd numbers. All cars must have a yellow reflective vest inside. Israel has quite a high record of traffic accidents and so you are advised to drive defensively, especially in the desert roads where there is no barrier between oncoming lanes.
Beware of Bad Driving in Israel..
Do not move your car (unless it is in a dangerous position which might lead to another accident) and wait for the police to arrive. In the meantime swap insurance information and addresses with the other driver. If you have a camera handy take pictures of the accident for police and insurance purposes. You
Motorway signs are in blue with white writing in English as well as Hebrew. There are four main motorways in Israel.
All passengers must wear seatbelts in the front and the back. Children under the age of 12 must sit in the back seat.
The price of fuel is about 1.6 USD per litre. Most of the petrol stations are twenty four hour and are located within five or ten miles of each other.
The drinking limit is 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milligrams of breath.
You need to have some proof of insurance, your driving licence, your passport, and your vehicle registration information.
Yes but only if you have an American, British or Canadian drivers licence, otherwise you need an International Driver's Permit.
Signs are written in English as well as Hebrew.
There is only one - the toll highway six. It is electronically operated with no toll booths. Licence plates are scanned electronically and bills sent to your address, depending on how far you have driven. Consult your rental company about the process.
Highway 6 Toll Road Sign
50 kilometres per hour in built up areas.
80 kilometres per hour on outer city roads which do not have a lane barrier
90 kilometres per hour on outer city roads which do have a lane barrier
110 kilometres per hour on some parts of the toll highway six.
The conversion from kilometres to miles per hour is one kilometre = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed in built up areas is 31 miles per hour.
Drivers must be at least 17 years old. To rent a car you must be over 21 years of age, though some companies only rent to people who are over 23.
The Police Service number is 100, the Fire Service number is 102 and the Ambulance Service number is 101. You can also call 112 for emergencies.
The American Embassy is at 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv. The embassy website is http://usembassy-israel.org.il/index.aspx.
Look for parking markings of different colours on the road. You cannot park if there are red and white lines. When the lines are blue and white then you need a parking permit which can be bought from nearby machines. Red and yellow lines means that the parking space is reserved for public transport such as buses. Red and grey lines indicate residents parking. Grey lines mean free parking.