Guide to Driving In Scotland - Drive Safe in Scotland

With our Drive Smart guide you're fully prepared to hire a car in Scotland and stay safe on unfamiliar roads.

URBAN SPEED LIMIT

30 mph

urban
More info  

RURAL SPEED LIMIT

60 mph

rural
More info  

motorway speed limit

70 mph

speed limit
More info  

Drink Drive Limit

 50mg

drink and drive limit
More info  
urban
You drive in Scotland on the Left side  
urban
The currency in Scotland is GBP £
urban
To rent a car is  21 years and to drive is 17 years of age
urban
Current fuel price in Scotland 1.65 €/Ltr

Driving Laws in Scotland

Driving in Scotland
Pocket guide to driving in Scotland
Profile:
Scotland
Edinburgh
GBP £
Driving in Scotland
SPEED: (mph)
30
60
70
Speed limit in Scotland
Holiday:
Rush hour in Scotland
Cameras:
YES
YES
Speed cameras in Scotland
FUEL:
1.65
1.88
EUR/Litre
Fuel prices in Scotland
See World Fuel Prices for full statistics
MIN AGE:
17
21
Min driving age in Scotland
DRINK:
50mg
Blood alcohol content
Drink driving in Scotland
EMERGENCY:
999
Emergency phone number in Scotland
DOCUMENT:
Driving documents in Scotland
PHONES:
Yes
Hands free only
Mobile phone driving in Scotland
SEATBELTS:
Yes
Yes
Seat belt in Scotland
See here for current child seats law in Scotland

Are there any special requirements for driving or hiring a car in Scotland?

Scotland is a fabulous country for drivers - once you escape the congestion of the cities. Driving through the mountains and the glens requires good driving skills - especially in winter but will reward you with spectacular scenery, great places to visit and the chance to immerse yourself in history. Renting a 4x4 in Scotland is popular for those looking to explore the highlands and is widely available (and recommended) from any of the international airports or major cities.

Rules of the road

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Emergency Services Numbers

Police Police: 999 or 112

Police Fire: 999 or 112

Police Ambulance: 999 or 112

Notes: 112 additional emergency number

DieselUnleaded
Mar , 2023

€ 1.88

€ 1.65

Feb , 2023

€ 1.91

€ 1.67

Jan , 2023

€ 1.96

€ 1.70

Dec , 2022

€ 2.13

€ 1.85

Parking Information

Parking regulations

Parking regulations
 
Free parking in the cities can be difficult to come by and paid for parking can be expensive. It’s often better to use the park and ride schemes to avoid congestion. 
 
Paid parking
 
There is plenty of paid parking in the smaller towns and villages. In the cities you’ll find limited time free parking on the street, metered parking, parking in parking lots and in garages including multi-storey car parks. Prices vary depending on how close you are to the centre or the sights but can be expensive.
 
Enforcement
 
Enforcement of parking is done by traffic wardens and sometimes the police and they are hot on illegal parking. You’ll receive a parking ticket and a fine. 
 
Disabled parking
 
Your disabled driver scheme blue badge will entitle you to the usual benefits in municipal car parks but check private ones for any restrictions.

Emergency Information

Emergency Information

Police Police: 999 or 112

Police Fire: 999 or 112

Police Ambulance: 999 or 112

The emergency number in Scotland is the UK standard 999 for all emergency services including the coastguard. 

What to do in an emergency

If you have a problem with your car you should phone the number given to on the rental documents or attached to the windscreen of your car. If you are driving your own vehicle, use your emergency assistance company.
 
In the event of an accident you must stop if there is serious damage or injury to humans or farm animals. You need to call the police if there is damage to cars or property or if there are any injuries, even if yours is the only car involved. You must exchange details with anyone else involved in the incident and it’s useful to take the details of witnesses if possible.

Handy Guides

World Driving Guides

Road Signs

Handy Phrases

Although some signs are written in Gaelic, there’ll always be an English version too

Scotland Fuel Price History

DieselUnleaded
Mar , 2023

€ 1.88

€ 1.65

Feb , 2023

€ 1.91

€ 1.67

Jan , 2023

€ 1.96

€ 1.70

Dec , 2022

€ 2.13

€ 1.85

Nov , 2022

€ 2.17

€ 1.90

Oct , 2022

€ 2.07

€ 1.87

Sep , 2022

€ 2.12

€ 1.96

Aug , 2022

€ 2.31

€ 2.18

Jul , 2022

€ 2.32

€ 2.23

Jun , 2022

€ 2.17

€ 2.06

May , 2022

€ 2.12

€ 1.95

Apr , 2022

€ 2.12

€ 1.96

Month, YearDiesel €/ltrUnleaded €/ltr
Mar , 2023 1.88 1.65
Feb , 2023 1.91 1.67
Jan , 2023 1.96 1.70
Dec , 2022 2.13 1.85
Nov , 2022 2.17 1.90
Oct , 2022 2.07 1.87
Sep , 2022 2.12 1.96
Aug , 2022 2.31 2.18
Jul , 2022 2.32 2.23
Jun , 2022 2.17 2.06
May , 2022 2.12 1.95
Apr , 2022 2.12 1.96

Hiring a Car

With our Drive Smart guide you're fully prepared to hire a car in Scotland and stay safe on unfamiliar roads.
Chloe Demaret
Posted by Chloe Demaret
About the Author -

Travel writer, social media guru, Chloe keeps our readers and customers up to speed with all the car rental and travel trends on our blog. Favourite destination: Dubai.

Visitor Comments

  • 30/10/2018

    Alan Cowan

    Firstly, well done for providing a separate section for Scotland instead of just including it with the UK. To assist accuracy in your article, there are no toll roads or bridges in Scotland. Tolls on both the Tay and Forth bridges have been removed. The only notable toll drivers may experience is when dropping off or picking up from some airports, but these are classed as private land.
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