USA Driving Rules
How to drive in the USAMost Brits find driving in the USA easy. If you’ve not driven on the right before, this will be the biggest thing to get used to, but if you hire an American car, everything will be set up for driving on this side. When renting a car, think about where you plan to drive and the season.
Most cars in the US are automatic, so you won’t be using a gear stick like you might be used to in the UK.
Many US roads could do with some resurfacing, so watch out for potholes. Also, America has almost no roundabouts – instead people will enter traffic at junctions. Many accidents happen at junctions when drivers don't spot other cars coming into the lane, so try to slow down and make sure anyone entering traffic has seen you – the same goes for when you enter the flow.
USA driving rulesDriving rules in the USA are similar to in the UK. Drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts and abide by strict speed limits. In most states, the alcohol limit for drivers is 0.08% blood alcohol concentration – the same as in the UK – but some states issue penalties for drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05% (these are less severe).
Most states have the same rules, but you should double check for any idiosyncrasies with that state’s Department for Motor Vehicles.
What side of the road does America drive on?Americans drive on the right-hand side of the road. If you rent a car, it will be set up for right-side driving, so you’ll need to adjust to the steering wheel being on the left-hand side of the car.
Who has the right of way?America has some unfamiliar rules when it comes to right of way.
Whoever arrives at a junction first gets to go aheadYou can turn right on a red light – as long as you briefly stop the car before turning rightDrivers can overtake on either side on multi-lane routesIt is the custom to allow people on slip roads space to enterPedestrians only have the right of way at any specially designated pedestrian crossingsWhat is the speed limit in the USA?The maximum speed limit on rural interstate highways is 70mph, with a 45mph minimum.
On four-lane divided highways, the limit is 65mph, and on all other highways it’s 55mph.
If you are driving through a designated school zone, you must drop to 15mph. These aren’t always clearly signposted, so pay attention in any urban areas. While there are fewer speed cameras in the USA than in the UK, many highway traffic police will hide in bushes waiting for speeding cars.
Driving in adverse conditionsTourists driving in the USA should be able to avoid any unfortunate incidents by using common sense – if a road is flooded, avoid it, if there’s fog, slow down. Check the weather in advance. If you’re driving in snowy conditions, take sensible precautions, such as packing snow chains and a torch. In hurricane season, listen to the news for warnings and advice – if the police tell people not to drive, don’t do it.