Keith Barrett

Driving in Cyprus

Many visitors to the holiday island of Cyprus decide to hire a car in order to make the most of their visit. If you've never driven in Cyprus before then there a few things that you'll need to be aware of.

Driving abroad often involves some minor differences from what you are used to home. These variations may take the form of different laws governing how you drive, or regulations about the state of your vehicle and insurance procedures.

Cyprus, as a member of the European Union, does have many similarities with other EU member states, although there are some variations that you need to be aware of.

The first thing that you're likely to notice is that drivers on Cyprus drive on the left hand side of the road. If you're travelling to the island from the UK then this means that you won't need to adapt, but it is the opposite of all other western European countries.

As in the UK, the law states that drivers and front seat passengers must wear seatbelts. In the case of those travelling in the back of the vehicle, a seatbelt must also be worn if the car is fitted with one.

Children under the age of five must travel in the back of the car and must use a suitable child seat, rather than simply using the back seat in the way that an adult would.

All distances on the island are shown in kilometres and all speed limits are shown in kilometres per hour. If you're used to thinking in terms of miles per hour, then you'll need to take this into account.

There are a couple of items that you are required to carry in your car. These are two red warning triangles and are to be used to warn other vehicles of your presence, in case of an accident, breakdown or emergency.

In general, you should find it fairly easy to drive on the island. Make sure that you stick to the rules and drive safely.

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