Driving in Bhutan vs. Latvia: Key Safety Differences

When comparing the road regulations of Bhutan and Latvia, significant contrasts emerge that are crucial for safe navigation. In Bhutan, driving occurs on the left, while in Latvia, it's on the right. Speed limits and lane practices vary greatly, reflecting distinct cultural norms and safety protocols in each country. Understanding these variances is essential for all travelers.

bhutanlatvia

LEFT

Driving Side

The driving side in bhutan is the Left Side of the road

Driving Safety Score

The driving Driving Safety Score in bhutan is 64

0.758 $

Gas Price in USD

The driving Driving Safety Score for bhutan is 0.758 US Dollars

While the driving side of a country remains the same, the driving safety score is updated annually based on each countries car accident fatality rate. Lastly, the gas price is only an estimate. Due to frequent fluctuations, it serves as a general reference rather than an exact figure for each country.

Lanes

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Driving Side	Left	Right
Overtaking: On Left	No	Yes
Overtaking: On Right	Yes	Not commonly practiced; generally only when the lane is clear.
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles	Use leftmost lane.	Use rightmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Presence	No	Yes
Bus Lanes: Usage	N/A	Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis.
Bus Lanes: Markings	N/A	Labeled 'BUS' or 'BUS ONLY'; often with road signs.
Cycle Lanes: Presence	No	Yes
Cycle Lanes: Usage	N/A	Exclusive for bicycles.
Cycle Lanes: Markings	N/A	Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.

Driving Side

bhutan:

Left

latvia:

Right

Overtaking: On Left

bhutan:

latvia:

Yes

Overtaking: On Right

bhutan:

Yes

latvia:

Not commonly practiced; generally only when the lane is clear.

Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles

bhutan:

Use leftmost lane.

latvia:

Use rightmost lane.

Bus Lanes: Presence

bhutan:

latvia:

Yes

Bus Lanes: Usage

bhutan:

N/A

latvia:

Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis.

Bus Lanes: Markings

bhutan:

N/A

latvia:

Labeled 'BUS' or 'BUS ONLY'; often with road signs.

Cycle Lanes: Presence

bhutan:

latvia:

Yes

Cycle Lanes: Usage

bhutan:

N/A

latvia:

Exclusive for bicycles.

Cycle Lanes: Markings

bhutan:

N/A

latvia:

Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.

Speeds Limits

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Urban Areas: Standard	30-50 km/h	50 km/h
Urban Areas: Residential Zones	20-30 km/h	30 km/h
Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles	40-60 km/h	90 km/h
Rural Areas: Buses And Vans	40-60 km/h	80 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers	40-60 km/h	80 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles	Up to 80 km/h	100 km/h
Highways: Buses And Vans	Up to 80 km/h	90 km/h
Highways: Trucks And Trailers	Up to 60 km/h	80 km/h
Variable Speed Limits: Presence	No	Yes
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	N/A	Electronic signs display current limits
Enforcement: Speed Cameras	No	Yes
Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines	Yes	Common; fines are often issued immediately

Urban Areas: Standard

bhutan:

30-50 km/h

latvia:

50 km/h

Urban Areas: Residential Zones

bhutan:

20-30 km/h

latvia:

30 km/h

Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

latvia:

90 km/h

Rural Areas: Buses And Vans

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

latvia:

80 km/h

Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

latvia:

80 km/h

Highways: Cars And Motorcycles

bhutan:

Up to 80 km/h

latvia:

100 km/h

Highways: Buses And Vans

bhutan:

Up to 80 km/h

latvia:

90 km/h

Highways: Trucks And Trailers

bhutan:

Up to 60 km/h

latvia:

80 km/h

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

bhutan:

latvia:

Yes

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

bhutan:

N/A

latvia:

Electronic signs display current limits

Enforcement: Speed Cameras

bhutan:

latvia:

Yes

Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines

bhutan:

Yes

latvia:

Common; fines are often issued immediately

Signals

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together	Not used in Bhutan	Not used in Latvia
Use Of Indicators: Roundabouts	Signal when exiting	Signal when entering and exiting
Traffic Signs: Language	English; symbols are standard	Latvian; symbols are standard
Traffic Signs: Warning	Diamond-shaped with yellow background	Triangle-shaped with red borders

Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together

bhutan:

Not used in Bhutan

latvia:

Not used in Latvia

Use Of Indicators: Roundabouts

bhutan:

Signal when exiting

latvia:

Signal when entering and exiting

Traffic Signs: Language

bhutan:

English; symbols are standard

latvia:

Latvian; symbols are standard

Traffic Signs: Warning

bhutan:

Diamond-shaped with yellow background

latvia:

Triangle-shaped with red borders

Turns

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	Bhutan		Latvia
Right Turn On Red	Not allowed		Allowed unless prohibited by a sign
U- Turns Allowed	Restricted; check for signs		Permitted unless signs indicate otherwise

Right Turn On Red

bhutan:

Not allowed

latvia:

Allowed unless prohibited by a sign

U- Turns Allowed

bhutan:

Restricted; check for signs

latvia:

Permitted unless signs indicate otherwise

Documentation

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A	Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended	Accepted, no International Driving Permit required
Vehicle Inspection: Sticker	Displayed on license plate or windshield	Displayed on windshield
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Recommended, not mandatory	Mandatory
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Recommended, not mandatory	Mandatory

Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A

bhutan:

Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended

latvia:

Accepted, no International Driving Permit required

Vehicle Inspection: Sticker

bhutan:

Displayed on license plate or windshield

latvia:

Displayed on windshield

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

latvia:

Mandatory

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

latvia:

Mandatory

Road Etiquette

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Use Of Horn: Cultural Norm	Frequent use in rural areas, reduced in urban settings	Less frequent use compared to some countries
Pedestrians Priority	Pedestrians have right of way at crosswalks	Pedestrians have right of way at zebra crossings
Emergency Vehicles: Protocol	Pull over to the left and stop if necessary	Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

Use Of Horn: Cultural Norm

bhutan:

Frequent use in rural areas, reduced in urban settings

latvia:

Less frequent use compared to some countries

Pedestrians Priority

bhutan:

Pedestrians have right of way at crosswalks

latvia:

Pedestrians have right of way at zebra crossings

Emergency Vehicles: Protocol

bhutan:

Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

latvia:

Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

Alcohol

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Limits: General Drivers	0.08%	0.05%
Limits: Professional Drivers	0.04%	0.00%
Enforcement: Random Checks	Common, especially during events	Common, especially on weekends
Enforcement: Fines	Substantial and imprisonment possible	Substantial, varies based on BAC
Test Refusal	Can result in license suspension	Can result in license suspension and fines

Limits: General Drivers

bhutan:

0.08%

latvia:

0.05%

Limits: Professional Drivers

bhutan:

0.04%

latvia:

0.00%

Enforcement: Random Checks

bhutan:

Common, especially during events

latvia:

Common, especially on weekends

Enforcement: Fines

bhutan:

Substantial and imprisonment possible

latvia:

Substantial, varies based on BAC

Test Refusal

bhutan:

Can result in license suspension

latvia:

Can result in license suspension and fines

Emergency Services

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Contact: General Emergency	113	112
Contact: Traffic Police	113	Varies; dial 112 for emergencies
Contact: Roadside Assistance	Check with local providers or vehicle insurance	Check with your insurance provider or local services
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Recommended, not mandatory	Mandatory
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Recommended, not mandatory	Mandatory

Contact: General Emergency

bhutan:

113

latvia:

112

Contact: Traffic Police

bhutan:

113

latvia:

Varies; dial 112 for emergencies

Contact: Roadside Assistance

bhutan:

Check with local providers or vehicle insurance

latvia:

Check with your insurance provider or local services

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

latvia:

Mandatory

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

latvia:

Mandatory

Penalties And Fines

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	Bhutan	Latvia
Common Fines: Speeding	Varies; often involves fines and points on license	Varies; €20 to €300, points on license
Common Fines: Alcohol	Substantial fines, possible jail time	Varies; substantial fines, possible license suspension
Common Fines: Seat Belts	Fines enforced	€20 to €40, fines vary
Common Fines: Phone Use	Fines enforced	€10 to €30, fines vary
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation	Fines and points on license	€30 to €70, points on license
Payment: On The Spot	Yes	Common; fines can often be settled at the time
Payment: Deadline	Varies; typically immediate payment required	Varies; typically within 10 to 30 days

Common Fines: Speeding

bhutan:

Varies; often involves fines and points on license

latvia:

Varies; €20 to €300, points on license

Common Fines: Alcohol

bhutan:

Substantial fines, possible jail time

latvia:

Varies; substantial fines, possible license suspension

Common Fines: Seat Belts

bhutan:

Fines enforced

latvia:

€20 to €40, fines vary

Common Fines: Phone Use

bhutan:

Fines enforced

latvia:

€10 to €30, fines vary

Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation

bhutan:

Fines and points on license

latvia:

€30 to €70, points on license

Payment: On The Spot

bhutan:

Yes

latvia:

Common; fines can often be settled at the time

Payment: Deadline

bhutan:

Varies; typically immediate payment required

latvia:

Varies; typically within 10 to 30 days