If you're planning to rent a car in Turkey, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the local traffic rules, speed limits, fines, and road police regulations.
Traffic Rules in Turkey
- Drive side: Drive on the right side of the road.
- Seat belts: Mandatory for both front and rear passengers.
- Using phones: Hands-free devices are permitted, but using handheld phones while driving is illegal.
- Children: Children under 12 years or shorter than 150 cm must use an appropriate child seat.
- Headlights: Use dipped headlights during the day and full headlights at night.
- Alcohol consumption: The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05% for drivers, equivalent to one standard alcoholic drink.
- Traffic signs: Pay attention to unique traffic signs, such as blue signs for parking zones and red signs for no-parking zones.
- Be cautious of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as sudden lane changes from other drivers.
Speed Limits in Turkey
Speed limits in Turkey vary depending on the type of road:
- Urban areas: 50 km/h (31 mph)
- Non-urban roads: 90 km/h (56 mph)
- Dual carriageways: 110 km/h (68 mph)
- Motorways: 120 km/h (75 mph)
Fines in Turkey
Fines for traffic violations in Turkey (in TRY and EUR equivalent) include:
- Speeding: 235 - 1,000 TRY (20 - 85 EUR)
- Not wearing a seat belt: 108 TRY (9 EUR)
- Using a mobile phone while driving: 235 TRY (20 EUR)
- Parking violations: 108 - 320 TRY (9 - 27 EUR)
- Running a red light: 500 TRY (43 EUR)
- Drunk driving: 1,002 - 5,010 TRY (85 - 425 EUR)
- Children without child seats: 235 TRY (20 EUR)
Fines can be paid at banks, tax offices, or online via the e-government portal.
Road Police in Turkey
Traffic enforcement in Turkey includes speed cameras, traffic police, and unmarked patrol cars. If stopped by the police, remain calm and follow their instructions. To call the police in case of an accident, dial 155.
