Safety Tips for Driving in Ireland
Whether you go to Ireland for a vacation or to find a new home abroad, you’ll probably want to rent a car or “hire a car,” as they say over there. Whatever your goals are, you’ll get more out of your trip with a car because so many interesting places are not accessible by bus or train.
If you’re coming from the U.S. or one of the other countries where people drive on the right side of the road, your’re probably aware that in Ireland, people drive on the left. Don’t let this deter you from getting behind the wheel of a car. When you pick up your rental car in Dublin one of the other cities such as Shannon or Cork, take a few minutes to get oriented before setting of on this venture.
Become accustomed to the layout of the car and the image you see in the mirrors. With the driver’s seat is on the right, notice that your left hand controls the gear shift. The door and the wing mirror will be on the right and the central rear view mirror will be on your left. Test the various controls before and make sure you understand how they work. Be sure you know where the windshield wiper and headlight controls are.
Remember as you head into traffic - always stay to the left of the road. This may be easier to do if you consider that you, the driver, will always be near the center of the road and the oncoming traffic. Also, pass traffic islands to the left and go clockwise on roundabouts.
The first thing in the morning or after driving on quieter roads, people may forget; stay alert and you’ll do fine.
Also, familiarize yourself with Irish road signs before you arrive; books for travelers often include them. Warning signs may seem provincial, but the most if not all are understandable. Direction signs for motorways will be in blue, for national roads in green, and for local roads in white. Signposts for places of interest appear on a brown background with white lettering.
Make sure you have enough gas or petrol as filling up stations can be quite spaced out in rural areas, with most of them not offering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week service. Try to fill up whenever the tank is half-empty.
Drive with care and consideration and expect the unexpected. Ireland is largely a rural country and many of their roads will have rural traffic, such as tractors and farm machinery on them, especially from March to October. Wildlife or farm animals such as sheep and cattle may also appear from nowhere, so drive slowly around blind curves and at the crest of hills.
Avoid illegal parking; many towns employ private companies to monitor parked autos. Those not legally parked can be clamped or towed away, resulting in inconvenience as well as a large fine before you can continue on your way.
Know your car, follow these basic steps and you will enjoy the winding and undulating roads of Ireland and the many things that the Emerald Isle has to offer the visitor or the prospective resident. If something seems confusing or if you get lost, don’t hesitate to ask for help. The Irish people are famous for their hospitality and friendliness, so you’re not likely to be disappointed.