Driving In Scotland Tips – Everything You Need To Know

If you’re thinking about driving in Scotland on your next trip, it’s important to be well prepared! Exploring by car is great if you’re capable, but the last thing you want is an accident or slip up to derail your trip. I drive tens of thousands of miles every year around every area of Scotland, so hopefully, my experience and advice can help you on your journey!

Even if think you’re confident about your abilities, these tips for driving in Scotland will come in handy. From explaining rules and road signs to advice on single-track roads, you’ll find everything you need to know here.

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Do I Need To Drive In Scotland?

You never know when you’re going to see something out of the window and want to pull over. Driving in Scotland gives you the chance to take the road less travelled. Stop to go explore that strange looking ruin or grab a cake from an honesty box!

It is possible to get around some parts of Scotland by public transport, especially in the big cities. However, once you’re away from Edinburgh and Glasgow, buses and trains are far less frequent. Hiring a car in Scotland allows you to reach those more remote (and therefore quieter) spots!

Where To Hire A Car In Scotland

The best site to hire a car in Scotland is definitely Discover Cars, linking you to all the major rental companies. There aren’t rental locations everywhere in Scotland and it’s important to plan ahead. If you start and end in a major hub like Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness then you don’t have to drop it off in the same place you picked up.

When it comes to choosing which car to hire in Scotland, my advice would be to pick the smallest car possible. That sounds a little counter intuitive, especially when it comes to Americans driving in Scotland who are used to bigger vehicles. However, remember that most of our roads are much smaller and enormous cars can get in the road!

Some companies will allow you to hire a car at 21 years old, but most have a minimum age of 25! When it comes to the insurance, I wouldn’t recommend skipping that entirely. Even with all of these tips for driving in Scotland, accidents do happen and you don’t want a huge bill!

Number 1 Tip For Driving In Scotland

The number one rule for driving in Scotland is the simplest – Drive On The Left!

Some of the major attractions have signs to remind you when leaving, but some people like to put a sticker on the dashboard to remind them. The easiest thing to remember is that the driver always wants to sit close to the middle of the road. It’s going to seem very weird at first, but you’ll get used to it eventually!

If you’re on a road with multiple lanes (like a dual-carriageway or motorway) then always stay on the left unless overtaking. In most cases, the turn off from these roads will also be on the left as will any cars merging into the road.

What Are The Speed Limits In Scotland

The number one thing to remember is that these are speed limits, not speed targets. There are plenty of places you’ll be driving in Scotland where it’s unsafe to drive even half of the speed limit!

We use miles per hour in Scotland and you’ll see the limit in round signs with a red border. The exception to that is a white circle with a black diagonal line which means “National Speed Limit”. Those limits are 60mph if there’s just one lane (in both directions) or 70mph if there’s more than one lane. Occasionally, on Motorways, an overhead digital sign will display a temporary change in speed limit for you to follow.

When driving in built up areas, the speed limit will most likely be 20mph or 30mph. Be aware that speedbumps often come with 20 zones but you’ll have a nasty bump if you go faster than 10mph over them!

Driving On Single Track Roads

The biggest concern for visitors driving in Scotland is how to drive on single track roads. In the countryside, especially when driving in Skye or other islands, they’re very common. While they look daunting, once you know what to do they’re a piece of cake!

As you drive along these, you’ll see “Passing Places” scattered along the road. Sometimes they’re marked by a white sign with the words written on, sometimes it’s just a black and white pole. In some places, they’re not marked at all! Always keep aware of the last one that you passed by and never, ever park in one!

When you meet another car, one of you will have to stop at a passing place. If you’ve just passed one, then be prepared to reverse to it. There may be a few cars to come so just wait for them before pulling out again. If the car coming towards you flashes their lights, then they’re telling you to come forward towards them.

The golden rule is to still remember you’re driving on the left and should almost never pull into a space on the right. If the nearest spot is on the right of the road, just stop opposite it and the car coming to you will pull in there or weave around you. The exception to that is if the space is short and it’s a bus/lorry/tractor driving at you because they need more room!

Take your time when driving single track roads in Scotland, enjoy the journey and don’t be in a rush. If somebody is behind you then pull in and let them pass. It takes just a few seconds for you and that car could easily be a nurse, doctor or firefighter trying to reach an emergency in their own vehicle. There’s no shame in being overtaken and the system works best with courtesy and patience!

Last but not least, always give a wee wave to anybody you pass or who passes you. It’s an important custom!

How To Drive On Roundabouts In Scotland

The next big concern when it comes to driving in Scotland is dealing with roundabouts! This is another thing that seems quite scary if you’re not used to it, but eventually becomes second nature. We have lots of roundabouts in Scotland and they speed up junctions dramatically! Just like the roads, you’re driving to the left when you enter one, so travel in a clockwise direction.

First of all, on Motorways or around larger cities, some of the roundabouts have traffic lights at them. They’re easy, you can only drive when the light is green, no exceptions at all! Red means stop, amber means it’s going to stop soon. I know that some Canadians or Americans driving in Scotland might be used to turning on red lights but that’s not allowed here.

Back to the roundabouts. You need to be watching what is coming from your right hand side. The way to remember it is that they’re essentially driving in front of you and turn on the roundabout before you, so they have priority. Once you’re driving on the roundabout, all of those to your left have to wait for you.

If there’s more than one lane then keep your eyes on the roadsigns and markings on the road which will tell you which one you should be in. If you’re in the outside lane but realise you should have been in the left hand one, then don’t panic and swerve across! Simply drive all the way around the roundabout, keeping within the markings on the road which will move out and take your junction when you come to it.

What Do The Road Signs Mean

We have dozens of different road signs in Scotland, some are complicated and you’ll likely never need to know but others are very important. You already know the speed limit signs but here are some of the other most important ones!

Practice Driving In Scotland With Tripiamo

Reading these tips to driving in Scotland is one thing, but there’s nothing that beats practicing before you arrive! I’m not suggesting you start driving on the wrong side of the road back home, but there is a better way. Best of all, you can do it in less than an hour!

Instead, you can easily practice using this system by Tripiamo!

They’ve got video guides to walk you through different scenarios while driving on Scottish roads. The 360 degree footage makes it feel like you’re in the driving seat already. If you want to go more in depth, then there are interactive problems for you to solve with shorter videos and mini-games.

If you’re planning to hire a car in Scotland, this is without a doubt the best way to prepare yourself before you get here! It’s only $39.99 and a solid investment for your trip. Click here to sign up!

How Not To Get Lost!

Now you know how to drive in Scotland, you’d better make sure that you don’t get lost! Rental cars often come with in-built GPS or the option to add one and they do the job, but I prefer not to use them. Instead, I have a carrier for my phone and just use Google Maps!

It’s the best option for up to date maps in Scotland with live updates for traffic, accidents and diversions. Remember, as useful as Google Maps are, they can sometimes send you down a farm track or private road so just use a little sense. Make sure to plan your journey before you leave when you have Wi-Fi, the GPS works when you have no signal but you won’t be able to search!

However, you never know when you’re going to lose your phone in a bog or have no phone signal! That’s why it’s always worth having a paper map and this Foldable Collins Scotland Map is perfectly compact for travelling around.

How To Drive Onto Ferries In Scotland

Since you’re driving in Scotland rather than relying on public transport, there’s a lot more of the country available to you. One of the real benefits is being able to explore more of our incredible islands! However, unless you’re visiting the Isle of Skye, that definitely involves driving onto a ferry. It can look a little daunting, but it’s far easier than you might first expect.

For Scotland’s west coast islands, the ferry operator is called Calmac and the Northern Isles have Northlink or Pentland Ferries. Always book tickets well before you travel, some routes get busy! That will be sent to you by email with a QR code and I like to screenshot or print it in advance. For bigger ports like Oban, Ardrossan or Mallaig, when you arrive there’s usually somebody on foot or in a wee hut to check tickets.

They’ll then direct you to a numbered lane to wait in until your turn. The most important thing to remember when driving onto a Scottish ferry is to turn your car alarm off! When the ship begins to rock, they inevitably go off and cause a racket.

For the shorter Calmac ferry routes, you still need to book a ticket online but it’s valid all day. Usually when you arrive there won’t be any staff there, so just park up at the line and wait. You’ll be waved forward once the ferry arrives and unloads. Feel free to get out of the car and stand up on the passenger deck for amazing views!

What To Do With Animals On The Road

When you drive in Scotland it’s inevitable that at some point you’ll come across animals on the road! This is especially true in more remote areas and the islands, especially the Trotternish Peninsula in Skye. Crofters often let their sheep wander the hillsides and they have a habit of straying onto the roads.

This is a prime example of why a speed limit isn’t a target to aim for. Racing around a corner at 60mph and hitting a sheep is bad enough but if there’s a Highland Cow standing there then you’re in for a horrible surprise. Take things much slower on these roads and if you do see livestock, then don’t panic!

Slow to a crawl and the animals will usually stroll right past you or just watch curiously from the sidelines. Be especially careful in the first few months after April when lambs might be across the road from their Mum. They have a habit of bolting across at the last second to get back to their parent. Sometimes, on a narrow road or bridge, you have no option but to wait for them to plod in front of you to a wider section.

Hiring Electric Or Petrol Cars In Scotland

Hiring electric cars is becoming far more popular but it does come with limitations. If you’re driving around the Central Belt, near Edinburgh and Glasgow then there are plenty of charging points. Even further north, especially along the busy tourist routes, you still won’t struggle to find them.

The problem is that there aren’t often many electric charging points and you could be waiting to use them. In more remote areas and on some islands you could have quite a distance to travel before finding one. To help you, the Charging Places Scotland website allows you to plan your route in advance!

There’s rarely a problem finding fuel stations for petrol or diesel cars. Even when busy, filling up is quick enough that you never have to wait too long. Prices are usually a little cheaper at supermarkets in big cities, but I prefer to support local stations whenever possible. Some have a “pay at pump” option where you put your card in first, other times you just fuel up and then go inside to pay after.

Where To Park

As well as Scotland driving tips, you’re going to need some parking advice as well. The last thing you want to do on your holiday is rack up parking tickets to add to your rental car bill!

Parking in Scottish cities can be very expensive, so find out if your accommodation has free spaces on-site. Otherwise, you’ll need to double check the closest car parks prices and terms. Many only charge between certain hours (like 8am to 6pm) and you can park for free outside of those. Some have a maximum stay period of just a few hours.

Rather than carrying cash to put in a machine for a ticket that then needs displayed on your dashboard, most places allow you to pay by app. The most popular by far is RingGo which you’ll use in Edinburgh & Glasgow but places like Oban use PayByPhone. Some ticket machines do take contactless card too!

Away from town centres, street parking is often free. Look around for any signs to indicate otherwise but also look at the lines on the road. If there are 2 parallel yellow lines then that means NO parking at any time. If there’s 1 yellow line then that means there’s a restriction and the details will be displayed on a sign nearby.

What’s The Alcohol Limit For Driving In Scotland?

I’ve saved this tip for driving in Scotland until last to make sure that you remember it! The alcohol limit for driving in Scotland is so low that it’s not worth taking any risks. It’s even lower than the limit in England and one of the lowest anywhere in the world.

These are the limits straight from the Scottish government website:

• 22 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in 100 ml of breath
• 50 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol in 100ml of blood
• 67 milligrammes (mg) in 100 ml of urine

That means even one drink can put you over the limit for driving so it’s safest not to drink at all. Be extra aware that if you’re out enjoying some traditional music in a pub late one night that you could still be over the alcohol limit in the morning.

There are a couple of other things that might get you in trouble with the police. Everybody must wear a seatbelt at all times when the car is moving, no exceptions. You must never touch their phone while driving in Scotland, even just to change directions. If you need to do that, pull over first.

What If You Don’t Want To Drive In Scotland?

If you’ve read through these Scotland driving tips and think it all seems a bit daunting then don’t worry! You can still get around the countryside and see some of our incredible places. Obviously, I’d say that the best way to do that is on a Bespoke Private Driving Tour with me! I love getting to show people a side of Scotland that most tours don’t.

However, if you’re on a budget then there are still good options. Consider taking a minibus tour with Rabbies, the largest tour operator in Scotland. You’ll be limited to the typical itineraries and pace of other people, but at least you aren’t stuck in a city! Their 3-Day Isle of Skye tour is very popular.

If you’re looking for interesting places to see while driving in Scotland, then grab a copy of the Scotland’s Stories Book! It’s packed with fascinating tales behind real historical places that you can visit for yourself. Every region in Scotland is covered and now you know how to drive to them all!