In Malta all traffic drives on the left hand side of the road. In terms of rules of the road imagine you are driving in England and the Maltese also use roundabouts. That means that you give away to the right. Because traffic lights are relatively new to Malta you should not assume that it is always safe to make green light - keep vigilant at all times.
You also must give priority on the road to any form of public transport including school buses. That includes stopping while they let passengers or schoolchildren on and off the vehicle. While driving in Malta it is illegal to talk on a mobile phone and even if you have a hands-free kit it is still prohibited to do so. While driving in Malta you should not use the car horn unless it is a specifically dangerous situation.
Some of the roads in Malta leave something to be desired so you should proceed with caution. Malta’s drivers are also known for driving fast and recklessly. They are particularly aggressive when it comes to overtaking. Renting a four by four vehicle is always a good investment. Try and avoid driving in the capital Valetta as the traffic can be really bad. Rush-hour can start as early as 8AM.
Do not move your vehicle until the police arrive unless it is in a dangerous position. You may find it useful to take some pictures of the accident as evidence of what happened. You should also contact your car hire Malta company as soon as possible to let them know what has happened.
All passengers must wear seatbelts in the front seat and back seats. Although child seats are not required by law we recommend that you use them for the safety of your family and they can be booked easily online.
Malta has exactly the same general road signs as you would see in the United Kingdom. Major road signs are all in English. There are no Motorways in Malta.
In Malta unleaded petrol costs 1.22 euros per litre. Petrol is available at frequent intervals and there are some 24 hour petrol stations. Bring a credit card with you in order to fill up easily, although some stations do not accept these cards so you should carry cash as a backup.
The Drink Driving Limit in Malta is only 35 mg of alcohol in the blood. Therefore you should not risk drinking and driving. If you are caught over the limit the police have the power to take away your license on the spot.
You need your passport and driving licence to hire a car. When you are driving you should also have the vehicle registration and proof of insurance documents on you in case you get stopped by the police. Some companies require you to book vehicles using a credit card.
Yes it is possible to use your domestic licence in Malta.
Petrol – Gasoline
Hard Shoulder – Left hand lane of motorway only to be used for stopping in emergencies..
Zebra crossings - Pedestrian crossings
Excess – Deductible (insurance)
Gearbox – Transmission
Boot – Trunk
Bumper – Fender
Detour – Diversion
Indicators - Blinkers
There are no toll roads in Malta.
50 kilometres per hour in built-up areas
64 kilometres per hour on open roads
80 kilometres per hour on motorways
Other speed limits will be displayed on signs so always keep an eye on them. There are speed cameras and traps in operation and speeding is heavily punished.
The conversion from kilometres to miles per hour is one kilometre = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed limit in built-up areas is 30mph.
The minimum driving age is 18. Car hire Malta companies require you to be over 23 years of age to rent a vehicle.
The emergency services are on 112.
The British high commission is at Whitehall Mansions, Ta' Xbiex Seafront, Ta' Xbiex XBX 1026, Malta GC and can be contacted on(356) 2323 0000.
Their website is http://ukinmalta.fco.gov.uk/en/
The American embassy is at Development House, 3rd Floor
St. Anne Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01 and can be contacted on (356) 2561 4147. Their website is http://malta.usembassy.gov/
Parking can be a problem. Whatever you do, do not park anywhere where there are double yellow lines. Cars which are not parked probably can be clamped or towed away. However in practice this would apply to most of the cars in the city centre. When visiting certain localities in Malta and its neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino watch out for “Time Parking Zones”. These are zones where parking is limited to a one hour maximum time frame.
At the main airport there are more than 600 spaces for cars to park. Of course when you rent a vehicle you do not need to worry about finding a space. If any motoring or parking offence is committed for which a fine is payable then this will be required to be settled before departure. Otherwise your car hire Malta company will send the fine on to you.