Driving in Turkey is easy if you’re prepared to go with the flow. In general, the roads are good, though you may end up on some dirt roads if you decide to venture off the beaten path. Most of the time, you will find that the signage is clear, making it easy to navigate around the country. And with our top tips for carefree driving in Turkey, you’ll find that a self-driving tour of the country has a lot of perks.

• In Turkey, people drive on the right-hand side of the road.
• The Turkish highway code is similar to the code of other European countries, and the International Protocol on Road Signs is followed. So you should be able to follow signs easily.
• The minimum driving age is 18 in Turkey. You need to be at least 21 to rent a car.
• Blood alcohol limit: 50mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood. Beware, the fines are hefty!
• The use of seatbelts is mandatory! So, be cool and wear them!
• Getting petrol or diesel: There’s an abundance of petrol stations in Turkey. Even when you travel to more remote areas, you shouldn’t have a problem filling up the tank. Self-service is not an option. Everything will be done for you, including a mandatory glass of steaming hot Turkish tea.
• When staying in the city center, book a hotel that has parking. It seems like this is not a big deal, but ensuring there’s parking available at your hotel avoids a stressful search for a parking spot. Look at it this way: instead of driving around, hoping to find a place to park your car, you will be having your apéritif at a hotel with parking!
• Download your maps for the trip: Signage is everywhere and is reliable in Turkey. Still, it’s always good to have a backup, especially if you’re somewhere more remote, and you’re having connection issues. We use Google Maps a lot when on the road, and we seem to be arriving at our destination each time!
• Parking tips: You’ll often find open spaces in town or city centers are converted into a car park. Parking your car there is convenient, usually cheap, and safe. It does require you to leave your car keys with the attendant in most cases. The reason is obvious; they try to squeeze in as many cars as they can and want to be able to move cars around whenever needed. If you’re using paid street parking, don’t go on a frantic search for the machine. There is none. You’ll find a ticket under your wiper, and someone will come up to you to collect payment when you leave.
• What is the speed limit in Turkey? The speed limits in Turkey are as follows: in towns: 50 km/h – two-lane highways: 90km/h – motorways: 120 km/h, unless otherwise indicated.
•  What are the emergency numbers in turkey? Let’s hope you won’t need to call any of these numbers during your stay in Turkey, but if you do need them, here they are: Ambulance: 112 – Police: 155. The ambulance services work in collaboration with a dedicated International Patient Support Unit that offers its translation services 24/7 in six different languages. You can reach the call center directly at +90 850 288 38 38. They assist in English, German, French, Russian, Farsi, and Arabic.