Guide to Driving in Norway

In Norway the traffic is on the right-hand side of the road and overtakes are on the left. Do not attempt to overtake cars on the right. It’s a Nordic country and the relief is quite fluctuating. More than 30% of the roads are in mountain regions so you should be prepared in case that you’re in for a long stay. Be aware that a lot of wildlife activity has been reported; animals often enter the roads, creating all sorts of hazards. The winter tires are a necessity and the reflecting triangle & vest should not be missing from any car. The road it’s in great shape but it can get slippery between October and March. You’ll probably see a lot of rain so make sure you have a decent pair of wipers. In the main cities the traffic is light; local drivers usually keep their calm and act with caution when they see a foreign car. There are trams in a few cities so you should always allow passengers to embark and disembark in case that there’s no island.

The police cars around Norway look the same: painted in white with some thin red and blue stripes on the sides. The word on them is ‘POLITI’. The good news is that you don’t need an international drivers permit as long as your residence is a European country. However, make sure your car’s insurance and registration certificate are in your car, otherwise you’ll be paying fines in case that the police pulls you over. In case of speeding the fines care reach up to €1,000, so drive with caution. There are numerous speeding cameras, especially on the motorways, so don’t try going over the limit.

Essential Driving Information

• You are not allowed to use a mobile phone while driving unless it has a hands-free device attached to it.
• Seatbelts are mandatory for all the passengers in the car.
• It’s not considered legal to turn right in an intersection where the red light is in function.
• Because Norway is located in the North of Europe, all drivers must have the dipped beam on.
• During the winter all the wheels of a vehicle must have winter tires.