Turkey 

Driving in Turkey

If you drive to Turkey you should take particular care when travelling by road throughout the country, as road conditions can be poor. Road traffic accidents are common and are mainly due to either poor or reckless driving, particularly at night. According to the Turkish General Directorate of Security there were over 585,000 road traffic accidents in 2006 which resulted in 3,365 deaths at the scene and over 135,000 injuries.

If you wish to drive in Turkey, you are required to carry either an International Driving License issued in the UK or a notarised copy, in Turkish, of your Driving License. Please note provisional driving licences are not recognised. An 'A' category standard motorcycle licence is required to hire motorcycles over 50cc in Turkey. An 'A1' category 'light motorcycle' driving licence is only suitable for motorcycles below 50cc. It is against the law not to wear a helmet.

Contravention of the above could result in a heavy fine.

Motorists should drive defensively at all times and take every precaution for safety while driving in Turkey. Drivers routinely ignore traffic regulations, including driving through red lights and stop signs and turning left from the far right hand lane. These driving practices cause frequent traffic accidents. Statistics released by the Turkish State Statistics Institute indicate that daytime hours are the most dangerous times on local highways. Drivers should be aware of several driving practices that are prevalent in Turkey. Normally drivers who experience car troubles or accidents pull over by the side of the road and turn on their emergency lights to warn other drivers, but many drivers place a large rock or a pile of rocks on the road about 10-15 meters behind their vehicles instead of turning on their emergency lights.

Drivers should exercise extreme caution while driving at night. The Embassy recommends that you not drive after dark outside of major cities. Some local drivers tend to drive without their lights on or with very low lights, making it impossible to see their vehicles. While driving, it is also not unusual to come across dead animals, large rocks, missing sewer covers, deep holes or objects that have fallen from trucks.

Roads in Turkey run the full spectrum from single lane country roads to modern, divided, Trans-European motorways built to European standards. Highways in the southwestern, coastal portion of the country, which is frequented by tourists, are generally in good condition and well maintained. 

Do not drink and drive. The Police will breathalyse drunk drivers, fine them on the spot (currently 448 YTL) and immediately confiscate their licence for six months.

There is an extensive road network of well maintained roads linking her towns, cities and popular tourist areas. When arriving from Europe, the Bosphorus crossing to Asia has been greatly facilited by the completion of the Istanbul by-pass and the tow Bosphorus Bridges lead to Istanbul-Ankara Expressway. The E80 and E90 are the two main roads leading to Turkey from European borders.

Although it is possible to pay highway ticket fees by cash in the toll plazas, it is not possible to do so while crossing the bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul. Therefore, you  are strongly advised to obtain a highway payment card, called KGS. The card is sold at the entrances of highways and the buyer should pay 30 Turkish Liras (app. 14 Euros) to obtain the card. However this fee will be loaded as credit into your card, so you can use it in the highways and bridges, during your stay in Turkey.

Traffic circulates on the right and the Turkish Highway Code is similar to those of European countries. There is a 50 km/hr speed limit in urban centers and a 90 km/hr limit outside urban centers.

Filling stations are well distributed over all roads and those on the main highways often have attached service stations and 24 hour open restaurants. Unleaded fuel is available at most stations.

Those who wish to travel with their vans, minibuses. automobiles, station wagons, bicycles, motorcyles-motorbikes, buses, motor coaches, trailers, caravans or other transport vehicles, will have to provide the following documentation:

  • Passport
  • Driving License
  • Car License (documents where all details related to the car and owner's name are registered). If the car is registered under a third name, a power of attorney authorising the usage should be provded.
  • Internal green card (Insurance card)
  • The TR.sgn should be visible
  • Transit book "Carnet de Passage" (for those who want to proceed to Middle East)

The vehicle can be brought into Turkey up to 6 months. If for any important reason the staying periods has to be extended it is necessary to apply to the following authorities before the end of period declared:

The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu) 1.Oto Sanayi Sitesi Yani Levent-Istanbul
Tel: 0212 212 81 40(7lines) Fax:0212 282 68 42
Directorate of Customs (Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü)
Ulus-Ankara
Tel: 0312 310 38 10 -310 38 18
Fax: 0312311 13 46

Traffic in Turkey

  • It is obligatory for the drivers and all passengers in the car to use safety belts in the front seats.
  • In densely populated areas there is a speed limit of 50km/h unless specifically shown with traffic signs.
  • In Turkey it is forbidden to drive while under the influence.
  • Drive on the right overtake from the left. Give way to any vehicle, including bicycles, coming from the right-bicycles, too.
  • Give way to pedestrians. Do not overtake a stationary vehicle which is within 5 metres of a pedestrian crossing or a vehicle which stops you from seeing the pedestrian crossing.
  • Please overtake only when you can return to your own lane without endangering or disturbing other traffic.

Speed Limits

  • Urban areas: 50 km/h
  • Dual carriageways: 90 km/h
  • Motorways:120 km/h
  • There are other speed limits indicated by traffic signs.

In Case of Accident. The accident should be reported to the police or gendarmarie. That report has to be certified by the nearest local authority. The owner should apply to the customs Authority with her/his passport and report. If the vehicle can be repaired, it is necessary to inform the customs authority first and then take the vehicle to a garage. If the vehicle is not repairable and if the owner wishes to leave the country without her/his vehicle, she/he has to deliver it to the nearest customs office and the registration of her/his vehicle on her/his passport will be cancelled. Only after the cancellation can the owner of the vehicle leave the country.
Traffic Police Tel: 154
Police Tel: 155
Gendarmarie Tel: 156