Driving in Turkey – what are the rules?

In geographical terms, Turkey is surrounded by all sorts of civilisations and cultures. With Bulgaria, Greece and the rest of Europe to its west, Georgia and Russia to the north east and Syria, Iraq and Lebanon down south, the Republic of Turkiye, as it’s officially known, is on the border of two mighty continents, and has the lifestyle, scenery and history to reflect both. With most of the country officially located in West Asia a small part, East Thrace, sits in south east Europe.

Its coastline is made up of three mighty seas – the Aegean, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Major city Istanbul is Europe’s largest metropolis and a major financial and business centre, and yet other parts of the country are mountainous, with vast lakeland areas and a barren wilderness. It can be warm and sunny on the beaches in the summer and desperately cold in the north east of the country in the winter with sub-zero temperatures and snow almost guaranteed every year.

And it’s this wide diversity that makes Turkey such an attraction to many visitors. Lots go for the warm climate and sunny coasts but there are plenty of others who wish to take to the roads in all temperatures and explore this beautiful country. Capital Ankara (which is smaller than Istanbul) has an abundance of history in the way of ancient architecture including Roman theatres and baths, and impressive Ottoman-era mosques dating back to the 16th century.

There are also music halls, modern theatres and shopping malls to tempt holidaymakers. Istanbul is considered to be Turkey’s true centre of business and culture. Around a fifth of all Turkish people live there, but it attracts tourists too with its mix of history, leisure, museums (there are more than 50) and cuisine – the latter influenced by European kitchens as well as the more familiar Middle Eastern dishes such as the kebab.

From a business point of view, manufacturing takes centre stage with agricultural vehicles, cars and textiles high up the production line. Banking and oil refinery also feature. It’s unlikely (though not impossible) that you would drive to Turkey so for most visitors, flying in and hiring a vehicle is the best option.

You’ll find a wide selection of car rental companies, such as Sixt, Avis, Enterprise and Europcar, operating from the country’s main airports of Istanbul Ataturk (the largest), Sahbiha Gokcen and Antalya. Driving in Turkey is a completely different experience from doing so in the UK, not just because the people there drive on the right side of the road. Turkish people are welcoming and friendly but that often gets forgotten as soon as they get behind the wheel of a car.

The country’s accident rate is by no means the best in the world. Compare its 6.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants with Norway’s 2.0, the UK’s 2.9, Denmark’s 3.4, Spain and Germany’s 3.7, and France’s 5.0. It makes planning a driving holiday or using a car on business, even more crucial and a good understanding of what you can and can’t do behind the wheel is vitally important for everyone’s safety and well-being.

Here The Car Expert looks at the most important elements to consider when planning to drive in Turkey, and we’ve included a handy checklist. As each journey is unique, always check that you have everything covered for your particular visit.

Basic rules

You must be 18 years or more and hold a full driving licence to get behind the wheel in Turkey. Just the licence card will do, as the paper counterpart is no longer a requirement.

International Driving Permits are recognised but are not a necessity. You’ll need to prove that you have car insurance if you take your own vehicle to Turkey so always have your certificate with you. You should also carry with you documents that show the identity of the vehicle, such as a V5C ‘logbook’.

And always have your passport or other form of ID. If it’s registered in the UK, your vehicle’s ‘home country’ must be shown on it by way of the ‘UK’ sticker on the rear. Displaying only the UK marking on the number plate is not sufficient.

The ‘GB’ badge is no longer recognised as identification, and the same goes for country signs such as the English, Scottish or Welsh flags. To hire a car in Turkey you must be at least 21 years old and have held a full driving permit for at least a year – some companies might ask for two years. A credit card is likely to be required so don’t turn up with a handful of cash.

And if you are planning to leave the country on a particular excursion, check with the hire company first. Many won’t allow it. We don’t recommend any drinking of alcohol if you are going to drive, but you should be aware of the country’s limit.

For car drivers it’s 0.5 g/l (0.5 milligrams) blood alcohol level. If you are driving any other type of vehicle, or are towing a caravan or trailer, the limit is zero (0 g/l). For comparison, it’s 0.8 g/l (0.8 milligrams) in England and Wales.

Traffic police will ask you to take a brteath test if they suspect you are over the permitted limit. Penalties for a positive alcohol test are severe and range from a fine, severity dependant on the amount over the limit you are, or even licence confiscation. Just refusing to take a breath test can bring a 2,900 Turkish lira (Tl) fine (GBP65).

Speed limits

Speed limits are shown in kilometres (km/h) rather than miles (mph).

In built-up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph). Outside of towns the limit is 90 km/h (56 mph) while motorway limits are set at 120 km/h (75 mph) top speed. Always keep an eye on local signage as it’s not always easy to know if you are in a built-up area or not.

Speed camera detection devices are illegal when driving in Turkey and that includes those built into navigation units, so ensure this feature is switched off. And don’t use a mobile phone while driving unless it is ‘hands-free’.

What to carry in the car

You must have in your car two warning triangles in case you break down, a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. Two warning triangles?

Yes – if you’re stranded on an urban road one should be placed 30 metres behind the car and the other 30 metres in front of it. If you have to stop on a motorway, place both triangles 100 metres behind your car. The authorities expect you to have headlamp converters for your headlights (or have manually adjusted lamps) so you don’t dazzle on-coming drivers.

And consider carrying some spare bulbs with you. Specialist suppliers, such as motoring organisations, sell ‘European driving kits’ for GBP25-GBP30, which contain everything you are likely to need for a Continental road trip, and it’s well worth investing in one.

Seatbelts

Seatbelt rules are the same as in the UK: if your car has them, they must be worn. It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled up.

Children must be fastened in too – any child under 3 years of age must be in a suitable child seat otherwise they are not permitted to travel. Babies can be carried in a rear facing chair on the front seat as long as the car’s airbag is switched off. Youngsters under 150 cm in height and 36 kg in weight must travel in the rear, in suitable car seats while those over 150 cm can use a regular seat belt but only on the back bench.

Driving

Keep to the right-hand lane as much as possible but if you are overtaking you must do so on the left.

There will at times be road signs forbidding overtaking – do not ignore these. Also, do not overtake when approaching junctions, level crossings, on bridges or in tunnels. And don’t try to pass a vehicle that is, at the same time, overtaking someone else.

Turkish roads are mainly in good condition but, outside of built-up areas and driving into more remote areas the road surfaces can be poorly maintained. Additionally, local drivers are known to speed and attempt some risky moves so, if you are thinking of overtaking someone, make a full assessment of surroundings before doing anything. There are many mountainous roads and, if you are driving uphill, you have the right of way – others should pull over to let you pass and you would be expected to do the same for them.

You will usually give way to vehicles using the ‘main’ road unless signs state otherwise and always yield to cars already on a roundabout. At crossroads that have no controls or road markings, give priority to vehicles on your right. Always give way to emergency vehicles as soon as you can.

If you hesitate at traffic lights after they have gone green, or stop to let another car out in front of you, you are likely to be hooted by everyone. However, you should use your horn sparingly. In some towns it is forbidden after 10pm until the morning.

Outside of town areas, you can use the horn if it’s for a safety reason or to avoid an accident. It can get extremely cold in Turkey and although there is no regulation, you should consider using appropriate winter tyres (with the snowflake symbol). Rental companies should have those covered but it’s worth checking.

Where it gets very cold, such as towards the east, it’s advisable to use snow chains. But only do this when the road is actually covered in snow or ice, and never use studded tyres – they are banned. If you are taking a trailer or caravan through Turkey ensure you and the rig do not exceed 18.75 metres long, 4 metres high and 2.55 metres wide.

Make sure you can see clearly behind you with the use of two wide rear-view mirrors.

Traffic signs

Traffic lights are red, amber and green and follow a similar pattern to the UK, but a yellow flashing arrow means you can proceed in its direction with caution. The fine for jumping a red light is 951 Tl (GBP21). Most road signs have pictures, similar to those in the UK. ‘Road narrows’, ‘low flying aircraft’ and ‘slippery road surface’ for example, are all the same but there are some notable extra signs including ‘roadworks ahead’ set in a yellow background, a bright green ‘motorway begins’ sign and a round sign showing a car, a motorcycle and a person driving an animal-drawn cart, with a red line through it, prohibiting all of these vehicles.

Signs are written in Turkish including, unusually the hexagonal ‘Stop’ sign which does not use the English word as most countries do. Instead look for ‘DUR’. That includes a warning of ‘DUR’ showing two children crossing the road. ‘Tek Yon’ means one way street while a ‘D’ signifies a bus stop.

You might need ‘Kacis Rampasi’ which means ‘escape lane’. Like most countries, warning signs are generally triangles with a red border, regulatory signs are round with a red outline, mandatory instruction signs are circles with a blue background, while information signs are square and generally blue. Most directional signs will be written in Turkish and are blue for city names and white for villages, while motorway (Otoyol) signage is green.

Heritage and interest signs are brown. Distances are shown in kilometres. There are some toll roads in Turkey and these are paid for using a sensor or window sticker which charges the toll to an account.

Cash is no longer accepted to pay for road usage. If you don’t have a sensor the car’s number plate is taken and a charge sent to the registered keeper. It’s not a fine, but you must pay it within 15 days to avoid further action.

Cars with non-Turkish licence plates must have a sensor or sticker to enter the toll road. Almost all rental cars come with the sticker.

Fuel availability

Diesel (motorin) and unleaded (kursunsuz benzin) fuels are widely available. AdBlue is also easy to find.

Fuel stations are usually self-service although there will be staff around to help. Payment is normally taken in advance with a credit card in busy areas, but if you are out in the sticks, garages might insist on cash, so make sure you have some if you are going on a road trip.

Parking

Read roadside signs carefully when parking as restrictions can change depending on the time of day. In residential areas you will only be allowed to stop in designated areas, but these are widely available and well sign posted.

If you do find an on-street space it will likely be controlled by a meter. Check carefully before you leave your vehicle to make sure you are not causing an obstruction. You must not park in front of any private property entrance, on or near a pedestrian crossing, facing the wrong way on the left side of the road, on or near junctions or bends, on a bridge or in a tunnel or anywhere where it might cause others an obstruction.

Park on the road at night and you should leave your side lights on. This does not apply in you are in a well-lit urban area where visibility is good. Badly parked cars could attract a fine of 450 Tl (GBP10).

The car could alternatively be towed away in which case you’ll pay a fine and a recovery charge.

Emergency number

In Turkey, as with most of Europe, you can dial 112 and make contact with emergency services such as fire, ambulance or police, 24 hours a day.

Operators will speak English, French other European languages.

Checklist

Must haves:

• Driving licence
• Passport
• Vehicle insurance
• MOT certificate
• V5 or vehicle ID
• Car rental papers (if appropriate)
• UK sticker
• Warning triangle (two)
• Headlamp beam deflectors
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher

Options:

• Hi-Viz jacket
• Snow chains (if appropriate)
• Spare bulb kit
• Screen wash
• Bottled water
• Map or satnav
• Phone power bank
• Torch
• Fuel can