North Cyprus Safe Driving Tips

No matter where you live or where you drive, following the rules of the road is imperative to staying safe. In North Cyprus, you drive on the left hand side of the road just as if you were driving in the United Kingdom. As a matter of fact, many of the laws that govern driving in North Cyprus are the same or similar to those in the U.K. The roads in North Cyprus have been improved over the years, and the new carriageway makes driving through the country a breeze.

However, there are a few quirks that Cypriot’s have when they drive that you should be aware of. Standard driving safety rules apply, but here are few things that you should keep in mind to help you stay safe on the roads.

•The speed limit in North Cyprus is a minimum of 65km to a maximum of 100km. Most drivers go about 120km and tailgating is a popular and very dangerous ‘sport’ over there. Keeping it between the minimum and maximum speed limits is a good idea.
•Seat belts and understanding the Highway Code is required.
•Do not take the flashing of headlights as an invitation to turn or go first through an intersection. In North Cyprus it means ‘I’m coming through’.
•Don’t always trust turn signal indicators as many times Cypriot drivers forget to turn it off.
•The orange light at the traffic light before the red light usually indicates to Cypriot drivers that they should speed up and not slow down.
•Try to keep your cool if you are in a narrow road in town and the car in front of you and one going the other way decide to stop and chat. This is part of the laid back Cypriot life.
•Do not jump the lights even if you see someone else doing it. Cameras have been installed and you will get fined for doing it.
•Beware making a right hand turn in North Cyprus if you are not used to driving on the left hand side of the road.
•Watch out for cars going to the wrong way on a one way street as you’ll get the response of ‘I was only going one way’.

Mobile Phone Use While Driving Is A No-No

Using a mobile phone while driving in North Cyprus – and pretty much anywhere in the world lately – is prohibited by law unless you are using what is referred to as a ‘hands free’ unit. A hands free unit could be a headset plugged into the mobile phone that allows you to keep both hands on the wheel or even a blue tooth wireless headset that works the same way. Anything that allows you to drive down the road with both hands available is acceptable.
You have probably seen many people driving down the road holding onto their mobile phone and chattering away without a care in the road. You could even be guilty of doing it yourself. While some countries want to ban mobile phone use in a vehicle all together because it is considered a distraction, they would have to consider banning listening to the radio or talking with other passengers as well. All of these things can be considered distractions, but trying to ban them is next to impossible.
If you are going to use your mobile phone while driving, do it safely. Try to only use it for a brief moment so that your concentration isn’t divided for very long. Always use a hands free method of talking. If you do not have a head set for your mobile phone, you could place your phone on speakerphone for the length of time your need to speak. Holding your mobile phone and speaking while driving is not worth the fine you will receive if you are pulled over by the authorities.

Don’t Drink And Drive In North Cyprus

The hazards of drinking and driving are known all over the world and it is one of the worst things anyone can do. If you are under the influence of alcohol, your judgment is impaired. This means that you could be driving too fast, driving too close to another car, even driving on the wrong side of the road especially if you’re not used to left hand side traffic patterns. If you are going to drink, make sure you have a designated driver or call a taxi instead of getting behind the wheel and causing injury or death to yourself or anyone else that could be with you or part of the accident.
In North Cyprus, it is illegal to drive a car, motorbike, or even pedal bike under the influence of alcohol. You are considered driving drunk if:
• The breath/alcohol level equals or exceeds 39 microgram’s of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath
• The blood/alcohol level equals or exceeds 90 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood (0,9 grams per liter)


Use a designated driver. Or, better yet, you be the designated driver and enjoy your drink when you get back to your accommodations safe and sound.

Driving During The Rainy Season In North Cyprus

North Cyprus doesn’t usually get a lot of rain, and during the rainy season the 402mm it does get can make driving hazard. Even though this number is lower than the Mediterranean average, caution is best used when driving. Roads in North Cyprus tend to be very dusty thanks to the lack of rain throughout most of the year. When it does rain, however, the roads get slippery when the dust mixes with the rain. Add to it the cooler weather, drivers in North Cyprus should be very careful driving during the rainy season, especially during the first rainfall.
For the most part, visitors to North Cyprus usually do not have to worry about rain unless they are in the country during the winter rainy season which can start as early as November and go through as late as February. Winters are cold with January and February being the coldest months, although the island is blessedly free from frost and snow unless you are visiting the Troodos Mountain range in the south(Customers who use Pacific Rental car hire in northern Cyprus are restricted to the area and may not take the car hire company’s vehicles beyond the demarcation line into South Cyprus despite news reports to the contrary).
When you are driving in North Cyprus, especially if you are from a country that is not used to driving on the left hand side of the road, you are going to want to be very careful driving in the rain. Most of the roads are well surfaced and comply with international traffic requirements, but the road surfacing, especially in cooler weather, can make the roads as dangerous as if they were covered with snow and ice found in other places. The roads that lead into the most remote places on the island, such as the minor roads around cities and up into the mountainous areas and forests are still mostly unpaved. While the residents attempt to keep them in good to fair condition, they can still be hazardous. During the rainy season, because the rain can be torrential for a brief time, the back roads can get extremely muddy very fast.
Always keep your speed at the post limit or lower to avoid hydroplaning on paved surfaces or possibly hitting a patch of black ice if the temperature is low enough. Make sure you use your windshield wipers at all times, and make sure you turn on your lights so other cars can visibly see you. If you must travel one of the unpaved side roads, try to do it in a four wheel drive. Avoid any standing water as it may be hiding deep and dangerous pot holes and to manage your way through any mud. Use common sense when driving and remain safe.

The Importance Of Having A Baby Seat In Your Hired Car in North Cyprus

Whenever you travel with a small child you always want to make sure that you have the proper child safety car seat with you for your infant to travel in, or make arrangements to have one provided for you at your destination. Today, many car hire companies will provide you with a child safety seat if you notify them ahead of time, usually when you make the vehicle reservations. In most countries, child safety seats are the rule and not the exception. When traveling to North Cyprus, all children under the age of 5 years old are required by law to sit in the back of the motor vehicles and be secured in a proper child safety seat. It is against the law to allow children 5 and under to travel in the front seat. Children from age 5 to 10 may sit in the front only if they have been provided with a booster seat for use with the adult seatbelt, or if a child’s seatbelt has been fitted to them.

Children 5 and under who are not properly secured in a child safety seat during an accident could get severely injured. As gruesome as it sounds, their little bodies could be thrown around the vehicle causing bone breaks, concussions, and other injuries far worse without even considering the fact that they could be killed. A child safety seat secures the infant and offers them a protective barrier of sorts. This is one of the reasons why parents are told to place the seat in the rear facing position and in the middle of the back seat. Additionally, if your child has graduated to a forward facing child seat, using the additional restraining strap helps keep the seat in place should the seat belt fail and the car seat come loose.

If your car hire company cannot provide you with a child safety seat for the duration of your trip, then it is advisable to bring one with you. Most airlines will also accept them for use with their smaller passengers.

Driving in the South Cyprus

For all drivers for car hire from Pacific Rent A Car in North Cyprus, including persons visiting on holiday, vacation, or business!

Please be aware, that our Rental Agreements and Insurance Policies do not allow you to take your vehicle across the border to South Cyprus under any circumstances. Our Insurance Company has advised us that any vehicle reported as being driven outside the TRNC will be reported as stolen and immediate legal action will be invoked.

When driving in the TRNC, you are covered under full insurance, allowing you to drive your vehicle without concern of liability, providing you remain within the restrictions of the Law and follow the rules of the road.

Please note that Northern Cyprus operates a Zero tolerance drink driving law.

If you would like to take the opportunity to visit South Cyprus during your stay, please contact our office where we will be able to advise you on the best travel options.

Excitment at Pacific Rent-A-Car

We're excited to be the first car rental company in North Cyprus to start a blog.

We want to be able to tell you about our latest special offers, new additions to our fleet and pass on useful information for your holidays in Northern Cyprus such as driving tips.

The manager of the company, Mr. Berkan Ocal, will be writing most of the blogs so you will learn everything from first person quickly.

Topics will include these subjects as listed alphabetically: announcements, cars, safety, service, tips, and travel.

We welcome customer and visitor comments.