Driving in Belgium vs. Malaysia: Key Differences Explained
When traversing the roads of Belgium and Malaysia, understanding their distinct regulations and practices is crucial for a safe journey. With Belgium driving on the right and Malaysia on the left, notable contrasts arise in lane usage, speed limits, and traffic signals. Familiarizing oneself with these driving customs will enhance your travel experience and ensure safety abroad.
Lanes
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Side | Right | Left |
| Markings: Solid Yellow Line | Not commonly used; white lines are prevalent. | Marks the division between lanes of opposite directions. |
| Markings: Dashed Yellow Line | Not commonly used; white lines are prevalent. | Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe. |
| Overtaking: On Left | Yes | No |
| Overtaking: On Right | Generally not allowed except in traffic queues or on multi-lane roads. | Yes |
| Overtaking: Prohibited Areas | List length: 5 | List length: 4 |
| Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles | Use rightmost lane. | Use leftmost lane. |
| Bus Lanes: Usage | Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis; specific hours may apply. | Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis. |
| Bus Lanes: Markings | Labeled 'BUS' or 'BUS ONLY'; often with road signs. | Labeled 'BAS' or 'BUS'; often with road signs. |
| High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements | N/A | N/A |
| Variable Speed Limits: Presence | Yes | No |
| Variable Speed Limits: Indications | Electronic signs display current limits. | N/A |
Driving Side
belgium:
Right
malaysia:
Left
Markings: Solid Yellow Line
belgium:
Not commonly used; white lines are prevalent.
malaysia:
Marks the division between lanes of opposite directions.
Markings: Dashed Yellow Line
belgium:
Not commonly used; white lines are prevalent.
malaysia:
Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe.
Overtaking: On Left
belgium:
Yes
malaysia:
No
Overtaking: On Right
belgium:
Generally not allowed except in traffic queues or on multi-lane roads.
malaysia:
Yes
Overtaking: Prohibited Areas
belgium:
List length: 5
malaysia:
List length: 4
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles
belgium:
Use rightmost lane.
malaysia:
Use leftmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Usage
belgium:
Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis; specific hours may apply.
malaysia:
Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis.
Bus Lanes: Markings
belgium:
Labeled 'BUS' or 'BUS ONLY'; often with road signs.
malaysia:
Labeled 'BAS' or 'BUS'; often with road signs.
High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements
belgium:
N/A
malaysia:
N/A
Variable Speed Limits: Presence
belgium:
Yes
malaysia:
No
Variable Speed Limits: Indications
belgium:
Electronic signs display current limits.
malaysia:
N/A
Speeds Limits
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Areas: Standard | 30-50 km/h | 30-60 km/h |
| Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers | 60-90 km/h | 70-90 km/h |
| Highways: Cars And Motorcycles | 120 km/h | 90-110 km/h |
| Highways: Buses And Vans | 120 km/h | 80-90 km/h |
| Highways: Trucks And Trailers | 90 km/h | 80-90 km/h |
| Variable Speed Limits: Presence | Yes | No |
| Variable Speed Limits: Indications | Electronic signs display current limits | N/A |
| Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines | No; fines are mailed to the driver | Yes |
Urban Areas: Standard
belgium:
30-50 km/h
malaysia:
30-60 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers
belgium:
60-90 km/h
malaysia:
70-90 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles
belgium:
120 km/h
malaysia:
90-110 km/h
Highways: Buses And Vans
belgium:
120 km/h
malaysia:
80-90 km/h
Highways: Trucks And Trailers
belgium:
90 km/h
malaysia:
80-90 km/h
Variable Speed Limits: Presence
belgium:
Yes
malaysia:
No
Variable Speed Limits: Indications
belgium:
Electronic signs display current limits
malaysia:
N/A
Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines
belgium:
No; fines are mailed to the driver
malaysia:
Yes
Signals
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together | Yes; indicates impending green light | Not used in Malaysia |
| Traffic Signs: Language | Dutch, French, German; symbols are standard | Malay and English; symbols are standard |
| Traffic Signs: Warning | Triangle-shaped with a red border and white or yellow background | Diamond-shaped with yellow background |
Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together
belgium:
Yes; indicates impending green light
malaysia:
Not used in Malaysia
Traffic Signs: Language
belgium:
Dutch, French, German; symbols are standard
malaysia:
Malay and English; symbols are standard
Traffic Signs: Warning
belgium:
Triangle-shaped with a red border and white or yellow background
malaysia:
Diamond-shaped with yellow background
Turns
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Right Turn On Red | Not allowed unless specific signage permits | Not allowed |
Right Turn On Red
belgium:
Not allowed unless specific signage permits
malaysia:
Not allowed
Documentation
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A | Accepted; national driving license sufficient | Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended |
| Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U | International Driving Permit recommended | Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended |
| Vehicle Inspection: Requirement | Yes; proof must be shown during police checks | Required yearly for roadworthiness |
| Vehicle Inspection: Sticker | Displayed on license plate or windshield | Displayed on windshield |
| Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles | Mandatory | Recommended |
| Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest | Mandatory | Recommended |
Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A
belgium:
Accepted; national driving license sufficient
malaysia:
Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended
Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U
belgium:
International Driving Permit recommended
malaysia:
Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended
Vehicle Inspection: Requirement
belgium:
Yes; proof must be shown during police checks
malaysia:
Required yearly for roadworthiness
Vehicle Inspection: Sticker
belgium:
Displayed on license plate or windshield
malaysia:
Displayed on windshield
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles
belgium:
Mandatory
malaysia:
Recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest
belgium:
Mandatory
malaysia:
Recommended
Road Etiquette
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Vehicles: Protocol | Pull over to the right and stop if necessary | Pull over to the left and stop if necessary |
Emergency Vehicles: Protocol
belgium:
Pull over to the right and stop if necessary
malaysia:
Pull over to the left and stop if necessary
Alcohol
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Limits: General Drivers | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Limits: Professional Drivers | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Enforcement: Random Checks | Common; conducted by police | Common; checkpoints used nationwide |
| Enforcement: Fines | Varies by severity of offense | Substantial fines |
Limits: General Drivers
belgium:
0.05%
malaysia:
0.08%
Limits: Professional Drivers
belgium:
0.02%
malaysia:
0.04%
Enforcement: Random Checks
belgium:
Common; conducted by police
malaysia:
Common; checkpoints used nationwide
Enforcement: Fines
belgium:
Varies by severity of offense
malaysia:
Substantial fines
Roundabouts
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Signaling: Exiting | Signal right when preparing to exit | Signal left when preparing to exit |
Signaling: Exiting
belgium:
Signal right when preparing to exit
malaysia:
Signal left when preparing to exit
Emergency Services
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Contact: General Emergency | 112 | 999 |
| Contact: Traffic Police | 101 | 999 |
| Contact: Roadside Assistance | Check with your insurance provider or Europe Assistance | Check with your insurance provider or Motoring Services |
| Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles | Mandatory | Recommended |
| Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest | Mandatory | Recommended |
Contact: General Emergency
belgium:
112
malaysia:
999
Contact: Traffic Police
belgium:
101
malaysia:
999
Contact: Roadside Assistance
belgium:
Check with your insurance provider or Europe Assistance
malaysia:
Check with your insurance provider or Motoring Services
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles
belgium:
Mandatory
malaysia:
Recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest
belgium:
Mandatory
malaysia:
Recommended
Penalties And Fines
| Belgium | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Common Fines: Speeding | Varies; fines increase with speed, and can include license suspension | Varies; RM150 and above |
| Common Fines: Seat Belts | Fine of around 50 EUR | RM300, points on license |
| Common Fines: Phone Use | Fine of around 100 EUR, increased for repeat offenses | RM300, points on license |
| Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation | Fines; points on license possible | Varies; fines and points on license |
| Payment: On The Spot | No; fines usually mailed to the driver | Yes; can also be paid online or at local stations |
| Payment: Deadline | Varies; typically 15 to 30 days to pay | Varies; typically 30 days to pay |
Common Fines: Speeding
belgium:
Varies; fines increase with speed, and can include license suspension
malaysia:
Varies; RM150 and above
Common Fines: Seat Belts
belgium:
Fine of around 50 EUR
malaysia:
RM300, points on license
Common Fines: Phone Use
belgium:
Fine of around 100 EUR, increased for repeat offenses
malaysia:
RM300, points on license
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation
belgium:
Fines; points on license possible
malaysia:
Varies; fines and points on license
Payment: On The Spot
belgium:
No; fines usually mailed to the driver
malaysia:
Yes; can also be paid online or at local stations
Payment: Deadline
belgium:
Varies; typically 15 to 30 days to pay
malaysia:
Varies; typically 30 days to pay