Driving Differences: Bhutan vs. Qatar Safety Insights

Driving in Bhutan and Qatar presents distinct contrasts that every traveler should recognize. Key differences include the driving side, speed limits, and alcohol regulations. While Bhutan adheres to left-side navigation with lower speed limits, Qatar favors right-side driving and imposes a strict zero-tolerance alcohol policy. Understanding these nuances is essential for ensuring a safe journey in either country.

bhutanqatar

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

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Driving Side	Left	Right
Overtaking: On Left	No	Yes
Overtaking: On Right	Yes	Allowed only in designated situations, like when vehicles ahead are turning left.
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles	Use leftmost lane.	Use rightmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Presence	No	Yes
Bus Lanes: Usage	N/A	Reserved for buses and authorized vehicles.
Bus Lanes: Markings	N/A	Labeled with appropriate road signs or pavement markings.
Cycle Lanes: Presence	No	Limited
Cycle Lanes: Usage	N/A	Shared with vehicles, as dedicated lanes are rare.
Cycle Lanes: Markings	N/A	N/A
High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements	N/A	Not applicable
Variable Speed Limits: Presence	No	Yes
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	N/A	Electronic signs display current limits.

Driving Side

bhutan:

Left

qatar:

Right

Overtaking: On Left

bhutan:

qatar:

Yes

Overtaking: On Right

bhutan:

Yes

qatar:

Allowed only in designated situations, like when vehicles ahead are turning left.

Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles

bhutan:

Use leftmost lane.

qatar:

Use rightmost lane.

Bus Lanes: Presence

bhutan:

qatar:

Yes

Bus Lanes: Usage

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Reserved for buses and authorized vehicles.

Bus Lanes: Markings

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Labeled with appropriate road signs or pavement markings.

Cycle Lanes: Presence

bhutan:

qatar:

Limited

Cycle Lanes: Usage

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Shared with vehicles, as dedicated lanes are rare.

Cycle Lanes: Markings

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

N/A

High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Not applicable

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

bhutan:

qatar:

Yes

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Electronic signs display current limits.

Speeds Limits

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Urban Areas: Standard	30-50 km/h	60-80 km/h
Urban Areas: Residential Zones	20-30 km/h	60 km/h
Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles	40-60 km/h	100-120 km/h
Rural Areas: Buses And Vans	40-60 km/h	100 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers	40-60 km/h	80 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles	Up to 80 km/h	120 km/h
Highways: Buses And Vans	Up to 80 km/h	100 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

Urban Areas: Standard

bhutan:

30-50 km/h

qatar:

60-80 km/h

Urban Areas: Residential Zones

bhutan:

20-30 km/h

qatar:

60 km/h

Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

qatar:

100-120 km/h

Rural Areas: Buses And Vans

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

qatar:

100 km/h

Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers

bhutan:

40-60 km/h

qatar:

80 km/h

Highways: Cars And Motorcycles

bhutan:

Up to 80 km/h

qatar:

120 km/h

Highways: Buses And Vans

bhutan:

Up to 80 km/h

qatar:

100 km/h

Highways: Trucks And Trailers

bhutan:

Up to 60 km/h

qatar:

80 km/h

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

bhutan:

qatar:

Yes

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

bhutan:

N/A

qatar:

Electronic signs display current limits

Enforcement: Speed Cameras

bhutan:

qatar:

Yes

Signals

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan		Qatar
Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together	Not used in Bhutan		Not used in Qatar
Traffic Signs: Language	English; symbols are standard		Arabic and English; symbols are standard

Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together

bhutan:

Not used in Bhutan

qatar:

Not used in Qatar

Traffic Signs: Language

bhutan:

English; symbols are standard

qatar:

Arabic and English; symbols are standard

Turns

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

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

Right Turn On Red

bhutan:

Not allowed

qatar:

Allowed unless prohibited by a sign

U- Turns Allowed

bhutan:

Restricted; check for signs

qatar:

Permitted unless prohibited by signs

Documentation

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Vehicle Inspection: Requirement	Annual vehicle inspection required	Annual inspection required
Vehicle Inspection: Sticker	Displayed on license plate or windshield	Displayed on the windshield
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Recommended, not mandatory	Not mandatory
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Recommended, not mandatory	Not mandatory

Vehicle Inspection: Requirement

bhutan:

Annual vehicle inspection required

qatar:

Annual inspection required

Vehicle Inspection: Sticker

bhutan:

Displayed on license plate or windshield

qatar:

Displayed on the windshield

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

qatar:

Not mandatory

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

qatar:

Not mandatory

Road Etiquette

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan		Qatar
Use Of Horn: Cultural Norm	Frequent use in rural areas, reduced in urban settings		Less frequent use compared to some countries
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

qatar:

Less frequent use compared to some countries

Emergency Vehicles: Protocol

bhutan:

Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

qatar:

Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

Alcohol

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Limits: General Drivers	0.08%	0.00%
Limits: Professional Drivers	0.04%	0.00%
Enforcement: Random Checks	Common, especially during events	Common; checkpoints used regularly
Enforcement: Fines	Substantial and imprisonment possible	Can be substantial; penalties are severe

Limits: General Drivers

bhutan:

0.08%

qatar:

0.00%

Limits: Professional Drivers

bhutan:

0.04%

qatar:

0.00%

Enforcement: Random Checks

bhutan:

Common, especially during events

qatar:

Common; checkpoints used regularly

Enforcement: Fines

bhutan:

Substantial and imprisonment possible

qatar:

Can be substantial; penalties are severe

Emergency Services

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Contact: General Emergency	113	999
Contact: Traffic Police	113	999 or local authorities
Contact: Roadside Assistance	Check with local providers or vehicle insurance	Check with your insurance provider or contact private services
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Recommended, not mandatory	Not mandatory, but recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Recommended, not mandatory	Not mandatory, but recommended

Contact: General Emergency

bhutan:

113

qatar:

999

Contact: Traffic Police

bhutan:

113

qatar:

999 or local authorities

Contact: Roadside Assistance

bhutan:

Check with local providers or vehicle insurance

qatar:

Check with your insurance provider or contact private services

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

qatar:

Not mandatory, but recommended

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

bhutan:

Recommended, not mandatory

qatar:

Not mandatory, but recommended

Penalties And Fines

Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...Small text specific to the section aboe, explaining the main ...

	Bhutan	Qatar
Common Fines: Speeding	Varies; often involves fines and points on license	Varies; can be substantial, point system applies
Common Fines: Alcohol	Substantial fines, possible jail time	Severe penalties; fines and imprisonment possible
Common Fines: Seat Belts	Fines enforced	Minimum 500 QR
Common Fines: Phone Use	Fines enforced	Minimum 500 QR, point system applies
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation	Fines and points on license	Minimum 6000 QR, point system applies
Payment: On The Spot	Yes	Yes, or online payment options
Payment: Deadline	Varies; typically immediate payment required	Payments should be timely to avoid additional penalties

Common Fines: Speeding

bhutan:

Varies; often involves fines and points on license

qatar:

Varies; can be substantial, point system applies

Common Fines: Alcohol

bhutan:

Substantial fines, possible jail time

qatar:

Severe penalties; fines and imprisonment possible

Common Fines: Seat Belts

bhutan:

Fines enforced

qatar:

Minimum 500 QR

Common Fines: Phone Use

bhutan:

Fines enforced

qatar:

Minimum 500 QR, point system applies

Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation

bhutan:

Fines and points on license

qatar:

Minimum 6000 QR, point system applies

Payment: On The Spot

bhutan:

Yes

qatar:

Yes, or online payment options

Payment: Deadline

bhutan:

Varies; typically immediate payment required

qatar:

Payments should be timely to avoid additional penalties