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Driving in Saudi Arabia: Tips & Tricks

In Automotive
December 30, 2022
Driving In Saudi Arabia Tips & Tricks

Driving vehicles in Saudi Arabia nowadays is considered one of the necessary needs since it simply makes traveling easier and faster in the cities, and without a doubt, no matter what vehicle you’d like to drive, be certain that all vehicles provided in Saudi Arabia offer the best performance on the roads, in addition to other pioneering aspects including advanced safety systems, and inspiring technology, all combined to ensure you have an exceptional driving experience.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia has highly competitive gas prices when compared to other countries, which explains why driving cars in the kingdom seems easier, more appealing, and significantly more qualified.

Learn more tips about driving in Saudi Arabia by reading the full article below.

Cultural Tips

The first step to improving your driving skills is to gain a solid knowledge of traffic signs and driving etiquette in the country you are visiting. Here are some driving-culturally tips for you:

Avoid playing music while driving during the call to prayer

Typically, people pray in mosques or dedicated prayer locations. Respect others’ space by avoiding activities like loud talking or loud music from your car in these situations.

Become familiar with the Arabic numerals 

Since Arabic is the used language on road signs in KSA, it is advised that you memorize the numbers from 1 to 10 by heart, or write them down using English numbers.

Drive carefully on public holidays

KSA only has four public holidays each year: National Day, Founding Day, Eid Al Fitr, and Eid Al Adha. The National Day is celebrated on September 23rd, with people decorating their cars and lining the streets to sing and dance. There will be a lot of traffic on that day, and you will have the choice of driving and celebrating with others or not.

General Tips

Driving ethics are universal, with slight differences in each country. Below are some helpful tips for drivers.

Prepare your documents

Keep your driver’s license, passport, residence visa (Iqama), and car paperwork with you all the time when driving in Saudi Arabia.

For a maximum of three months, foreign nationals may drive a car with an international license granted in the EU states, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or the neighboring GCC states.

Choose a reliable agency

For foreigners looking to buy a car in Saudi Arabia, there are various options on the market, and it’s crucial to find a trustworthy agency. Luckily, Shop by Motory can help you with that, where you can pick the car of your choice and buy it online!

Frequently refuel your vehicle

Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s largest country, so be sure to refuel often to avoid running out of gas while driving around.

Saudi nationals have a high interest in owning electric cars, you too should think about getting an EV to help the environment and your wallet.

Watch out for sand storms

The level of visibility during the sandstorm may drop to zero. Instead of stopping, slow down and leave space between you and the car in front of you. Check that the vehicle’s outer lights are all turned on, and keep the windows closed.

Avoid desert safari

The Kingdom’s deserts are the only places where off-road driving is popular. Certainly, it will be a thrilling drive, however, if you don’t know proper driving skills, you could easily become trapped in the sand and need to look for help.

But if you are a skilled off-road driver looking for a vehicle, check out some nice Toyota cars here.