Having a car is the best way of seeing Portugal.
Driving is on the right with overtaking on the left and you can be fined more than 1,000 Euros for passing a driver on the right. On the motorways there are three lanes with the middle one being for overtaking.
Give priority to traffic from the right unless otherwise stated. Vehicles in roundabouts have priority over those which are about to enter. There is also a large fine for failing to stop at a stop sign.
Roads and some cars are not that well lit at night so you should drive carefully. Should you break down and attempt to carry out repairs you are supposed to wear a reflective jacket to do so. It is also necessary to put out a warning triangle if you have broken down. If your hire car does not have this equipment and you get a fine then the rental company should be able to pay it for you. At night in rural areas look out for horse drawn carts. When a tram stops and there is no island for passengers to disembark at, drivers must give way to them. Avoiding rush hour traffic in the cities is to be advised.
A fine of 600 Euros can be imposed on anyone found to be using a mobile phone while driving, as can a 300 Euro fine for littering while driving. Fines can be collected on the spot. It is also possible to lose your licence if you ignore a policeman, cross a white line or jump a red light. It is safest to drive defensively in Portugal, which has one of the less impressive driving safety records in Europe.
It is mandatory to for all passengers to wear seatbelts in the front seat and back seats. Children under the age of 12, or less than one and a half metres tall, are not allowed to sit in the front and must have baby or booster seats in the back.
Citizens of EU member countries require a national driving licence to drive cars in Portugal. Citizens from non-EU member countries need an international driving licence or an approved translation of your existing driver's licence. You must be at least 18 years old to drive a car in Portugal and have a valid driving licence and car insurance.
The conversion from kilometres to miles per hour is one kilometre = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed limit in Portuguese towns is 30 miles per hour.
- 50 kilometres per hour in built up areas
- 90 kilometres per hour on rural roads
- 120 kilometres per hour on motorways (with a minimum speed of 40km per hour)
Speed limits are enforced by unmarked police cars and radar traps. Cars towing trailers can only travel at 70/80km per hour.
If you park on a pavement in an undesignated spot you can have your car impounded for anywhere between one month to one year. It is illegal to park cars which face against the flow of traffic. Although the locals may do it, switching on your hazard warning lights does not make it ok to park wherever you want. In Lisbon, Portugal's capital, you must get a Blue Zone parking disc which is free of charge and can be obtained from the police.