Driving in Turkey: Traffic Rules for Foreign Drivers

Driving in Turkey is close to most of Europe, with a few differences worth knowing before you set off.

The basics

Traffic drives on the right, the steering wheel is on the left. At junctions you give way to traffic coming from your left.

Seat belts are compulsory in front and rear seats. Children under 150 cm need an age-appropriate seat; you can rent a child seat with the car.

The alcohol limit is 0.50 per mille. It drops to zero if you are towing a trailer or driving commercially. In practice the safest rule is not to drive after a glass of wine at all, since checks are frequent in summer.

Daytime headlights are not compulsory. They are required in tunnels and whenever visibility drops.

Holding a phone while driving is banned; hands-free is allowed.

Speed limits

• Urban roads: 50 km/h
• Intercity dual-direction roads: 90 km/h
• Motorways: 120 km/h

Where a sign says otherwise, the sign wins. Speed cameras are common at town entrances and along the D400 coast road. Most camera points are signposted in advance, though not all. On a rental car, fines are issued to the plate and passed on to you.

Motorway tolls

Turkish motorways have no cash booths; tolls run through an electronic system called HGS. Rental cars come with the HGS sticker already fitted, so you simply slow down and drive through.

There are few toll roads around Antalya. You are most likely to meet them on the Antalya-Alanya link and on some stretches heading west. The charges are small, but passing without a valid sticker turns into a fine. Confirm the HGS sticker is on the windscreen when you collect the car.

Parking

Blue-marked bays are paid, usually to a municipal attendant on the street. Red-and-white kerb markings and a yellow line mean no parking.

Parking is genuinely difficult in Kaleiçi, along Konyaaltı beach and in the centre during summer. Car parks are cheap and plentiful; driving straight into one usually costs less time than circling for a street space.

Badly parked cars do get towed. If your car has vanished, call 153 for the municipal helpline.

Local driving habits

Indicator use can be inconsistent, so do not assume a car changing lanes will signal. Motorcycles filter between lanes, so check mirrors often. On rural roads expect tractors and livestock, especially around sunset.

Accidents and emergencies

Call 112 for everything: ambulance, fire, police and gendarmerie share the number.

After an accident, photograph the scene before moving the vehicles. For damage-only accidents, drivers who agree on what happened can complete the accident report form themselves. In a rental car, call the rental company however minor the damage; undocumented damage falls outside insurance cover.

The vehicle documents (registration, insurance) are in the glovebox. At a roadside check you will be asked for your licence, passport and the registration.