Basically driving on the highway’s in Turkey is a pleasant experience but if you get stuck in city traffic or on rural roads which are full of potholes it is not so nice. Although Turkey has motorways and they are more like dual carriageways as they only have two lanes. While the motorways are full of heavy vehicles such as trucks and lorries you are very unlikely to see them on the rural roads.
Drivers in Turkey can be a bit unpredictable so you would do well to second guess them and proceed with caution. Also the roads are not always in the best condition. Driving is on the right with overtaking on the left. Give way to the right when vehicles are approaching an intersection. Care should be taken when turning as following vehicles may be trying to overtake you at the same time. It is illegal to talk on mobile phones while driving unless you have a hands free kit.
You should avoid driving at night as many of the ‘obstacles’ on the road will not have lights and there are also mountain roads which do not have guard rails. Horns are used deliberately by drivers. If you are not sure whether to go or not at a traffic light then the sound of horns will let you know. The experience of exploring Turkey will be well worth any hassles you encounter while driving.
Accidents are very common in Turkey. First call the traffic police on 154. Meanwhile you must not move your vehicle. There should be two warning triangles in your car already by law. One is to place in the front of your vehicle and one behind it. Police can issue on the spot fines if you do not do this.
Seatbelts are mandatory for all drivers and all passengers when they are sitting in the front seat. If you have children who are under 12 years of age then they must sit in the back.
Motorway signs are blue with white writing.
Petrol costs 2.95-3.02 YTL per litre for unleaded (that’s just over £1). Eurodiesel is cheaper at about 2.45-2.50/liter. These figures were correct as of July 2009.
The Drink Driving limit in Turkey is 50mg alcohol per 100ml blood. If you drink drive in Turkey there is every chance that the police will stop and breathalyse you. If over the limit, they will either give you a 537 YTL fine or confiscate your licence for six months.
It is a legal requirement to have your license and car hire Turkey documents with you. It is also a good idea to have your passport, proof of at least third party insurance and your vehicle registration information. Enquire about the Green Card International Insurance which is endorsed for all Turkish territory. If you are travelling on to the Middle East then you must have a Carnet de Passage.
Yes, although it may be better to have an International Driving Permit. If you do take a domestic licence then you should try and get a notarised copy in Turkish.
Bozuk satih - Rough surface
Dikkat - Attention
Dur - Stop
Park yapilmaz - No parking
Tamirat - Roadworks
Giremez - No entry
Tek yon - One way
Yavas - Slow
Yaya gecidi - Pedestrian crossing
Yol kapali - Road closed
Yes there is an extensive system of toll roads in Turkey and they go between Ankara and Gerede, Edirne and Istanbul, Istanbul and Izmit, Tsarsus and Pozanti and Izmit and Gebze.
50 kilometres per hour in built up areas.
90 kilometres per hour on open roads.
120 kilometres per hour on motorways.
The conversion from kilometres to miles per hour is one kilometre = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed in built up areas is 30 miles per hour.
The minimum age for driving in Turkey is 17. You need to be at least 19 years old to rent a car in Turkey but it depends on each rental company. If you plan to hire a special car then the rental age can be as high as 27.
The traffic police are on 154. If you need driving advice visit the website of The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club - www.turing.org.tr or call them on (212) 282 8140.
The United States Embassy in Turkey for Ankara is located at 110 Atatürk Blvd, Kavaklıdere, 06100, and you can call (90-312) 455-5555.
Their website is http://turkey.usembassy.gov/contact.html
The British High Commission in Turkey is located at Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A
Çankaya and you can call 0312 455 3344.
Their website is http://ukinturkey.fco.gov.uk/en/
You really should not even consider parking in the centre of major cities such as Istanbul. Your best bet is to park on the outskirts and take public transport into the centre which will save you money and a lot of headaches. All of the major cities have marked zones which dictate whether or not you can park and how much it costs. All of the major airports in Turkey have extensive parking both on and off site, and short and long term.