Driving in Iceland vs Malta: Safety Tips & Differences

Discover the unique driving landscapes of Iceland and Malta in this comprehensive comparison. While Icelanders navigate on the right side of the road, Maltese motorists drive left. Explore crucial variations, including speed limits, signaling practices, and road etiquette, ensuring a safer journey as you travel abroad.

icelandmalta

RIGHT

Driving Side

The driving side in iceland is the Right Side of the road

Driving Safety Score

The driving Driving Safety Score in iceland is 93

2.229 $

Gas Price in USD

The driving Driving Safety Score for iceland is 2.229 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 ...

	Iceland	Malta
Driving Side	Right	Left
Markings: Solid Yellow Line	Marks the left edge on divided roads.	Marks the left edge on some divided roads.
Markings: Dashed Yellow Line	Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe.	Often used to indicate parking restrictions.
Overtaking: On Left	Yes	No
Overtaking: On Right	Allowed on multi-lane roads or when the vehicle ahead is turning left.	Yes
Overtaking: Prohibited Areas	List length: 4	List length: 5
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles	Use rightmost lane.	Use leftmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Usage	Reserved for buses; usage by taxis is sometimes permitted.	Reserved for buses and emergency vehicles.
Cycle Lanes: Usage	Exclusive for bicycles.	Shared use with caution, marked on roads.
Cycle Lanes: Markings	Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.	N/A

Driving Side

iceland:

Right

malta:

Left

Markings: Solid Yellow Line

iceland:

Marks the left edge on divided roads.

malta:

Marks the left edge on some divided roads.

Markings: Dashed Yellow Line

iceland:

Centerline on two-way roads; passing permitted when safe.

malta:

Often used to indicate parking restrictions.

Overtaking: On Left

iceland:

Yes

malta:

Overtaking: On Right

iceland:

Allowed on multi-lane roads or when the vehicle ahead is turning left.

malta:

Yes

Overtaking: Prohibited Areas

iceland:

List length: 4

malta:

List length: 5

Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles

iceland:

Use rightmost lane.

malta:

Use leftmost lane.

Bus Lanes: Usage

iceland:

Reserved for buses; usage by taxis is sometimes permitted.

malta:

Reserved for buses and emergency vehicles.

Cycle Lanes: Usage

iceland:

Exclusive for bicycles.

malta:

Shared use with caution, marked on roads.

Cycle Lanes: Markings

iceland:

Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.

malta:

N/A

Speeds Limits

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

	Iceland	Malta
Urban Areas: Residential Zones	30 km/h	50 km/h
Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles	80 km/h on gravel roads	70 km/h
Rural Areas: Buses And Vans	90 km/h on paved roads	70 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers	80 km/h on paved roads	70 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles	90 km/h	80 km/h
Highways: Buses And Vans	90 km/h	80 km/h
Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines	Yes	Rare; fines are usually mailed after citation

Urban Areas: Residential Zones

iceland:

30 km/h

malta:

50 km/h

Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles

iceland:

80 km/h on gravel roads

malta:

70 km/h

Rural Areas: Buses And Vans

iceland:

90 km/h on paved roads

malta:

70 km/h

Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers

iceland:

80 km/h on paved roads

malta:

70 km/h

Highways: Cars And Motorcycles

iceland:

90 km/h

malta:

80 km/h

Highways: Buses And Vans

iceland:

90 km/h

malta:

80 km/h

Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines

iceland:

Yes

malta:

Rare; fines are usually mailed after citation

Signals

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

	Iceland	Malta
Traffic Lights: Flashing Amber	Proceed with caution, yield to pedestrians and other vehicles	Proceed with caution, yield to pedestrians and other vehicles.
Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together	N/A	Not used in Malta
Use Of Indicators: Roundabouts	Signal when entering and exiting	Signal when exiting
Horn Usage: Penalties	N/A	Fines may apply for misuse
Hand Signals: Common Usage	N/A	Rare, as vehicle indicators are expected
Traffic Signs: Language	Icelandic; symbols are standard	English and Maltese; symbols are standard
Traffic Signs: Warning	Triangular with red borders	Triangular-shaped with a white background or yellow.

Traffic Lights: Flashing Amber

iceland:

Proceed with caution, yield to pedestrians and other vehicles

malta:

Proceed with caution, yield to pedestrians and other vehicles.

Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together

iceland:

N/A

malta:

Not used in Malta

Use Of Indicators: Roundabouts

iceland:

Signal when entering and exiting

malta:

Signal when exiting

Horn Usage: Penalties

iceland:

N/A

malta:

Fines may apply for misuse

Hand Signals: Common Usage

iceland:

N/A

malta:

Rare, as vehicle indicators are expected

Traffic Signs: Language

iceland:

Icelandic; symbols are standard

malta:

English and Maltese; symbols are standard

Traffic Signs: Warning

iceland:

Triangular with red borders

malta:

Triangular-shaped with a white background or yellow.

Turns

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

	Iceland		Malta
U- Turns Allowed	Generally allowed unless prohibited by signs		Varies by location; check for signs

U- Turns Allowed

iceland:

Generally allowed unless prohibited by signs

malta:

Varies by location; check for signs

Documentation

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

	Iceland	Malta
Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A	Accepted; International Driving Permit recommended	Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended
Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U	Accepted; International Driving Permit recommended	Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended
Vehicle Inspection: Requirement	Annual inspection required	Annual vehicle inspection required
Vehicle Inspection: Sticker	Displayed on the windshield	Displayed on license plate or windshield.
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Mandatory	Recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Not mandatory	Recommended

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

iceland:

Accepted; International Driving Permit recommended

malta:

Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended

Driver's License: Foreign: Non- E U

iceland:

Accepted; International Driving Permit recommended

malta:

Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended

Vehicle Inspection: Requirement

iceland:

Annual inspection required

malta:

Annual vehicle inspection required

Vehicle Inspection: Sticker

iceland:

Displayed on the windshield

malta:

Displayed on license plate or windshield.

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

iceland:

Mandatory

malta:

Recommended

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

iceland:

Not mandatory

malta:

Recommended

Road Etiquette

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

	Iceland		Malta
Emergency Vehicles: Protocol	Pull over to the right and stop if necessary		Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

Emergency Vehicles: Protocol

iceland:

Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

malta:

Pull over to the left 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 ...

	Iceland	Malta
Limits: Underage Drivers	0.00% - zero tolerance	0.00% to 0.02%; zero tolerance
Enforcement: Random Checks	Common	Common; checkpoints used in some areas
Enforcement: Fines	Substantial penalties can apply	Reasonably enforced; can be substantial
Test Refusal	Can result in license suspension and fine	Can result in license suspension

Limits: Underage Drivers

iceland:

0.00% - zero tolerance

malta:

0.00% to 0.02%; zero tolerance

Enforcement: Random Checks

iceland:

Common

malta:

Common; checkpoints used in some areas

Enforcement: Fines

iceland:

Substantial penalties can apply

malta:

Reasonably enforced; can be substantial

Test Refusal

iceland:

Can result in license suspension and fine

malta:

Can result in license suspension

Roundabouts

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

	Iceland		Malta
Signaling: Entering	Signal when entering and exiting		Signal if turning immediately upon entry
Signaling: Exiting	Signal when preparing to exit		Signal left when preparing to exit

Signaling: Entering

iceland:

Signal when entering and exiting

malta:

Signal if turning immediately upon entry

Signaling: Exiting

iceland:

Signal when preparing to exit

malta:

Signal left when preparing to exit

Emergency Services

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

	Iceland	Malta
Contact: Traffic Police	National Police number 112	112 for emergencies
Contact: Roadside Assistance	Contact local towing services or insurance provider	Check with your insurance provider or AA Malta
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Mandatory	Recommended but not mandatory
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Not mandatory	Recommended but not mandatory

Contact: Traffic Police

iceland:

National Police number 112

malta:

112 for emergencies

Contact: Roadside Assistance

iceland:

Contact local towing services or insurance provider

malta:

Check with your insurance provider or AA Malta

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

iceland:

Mandatory

malta:

Recommended but not mandatory

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

iceland:

Not mandatory

malta:

Recommended but not mandatory

Penalties And Fines

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

	Iceland	Malta
Common Fines: Speeding	Varies; fines can be substantial depending on the offense	Varies; typically €35 to €70, points on license
Common Fines: Alcohol	Varies; substantial fines, possible jail time	Varies; substantial fines and possible jail time
Common Fines: Seat Belts	Mandatory; fines apply	Typically around €50, points may apply
Common Fines: Phone Use	Fines if found using without hands-free	Typically around €100, points on license
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation	Fines and points on license	Typically around €100, points on license
Payment: On The Spot	Possible; fines often need to be paid promptly	Rare; fines usually paid online or by mail
Payment: Deadline	Varies; typically must be paid within specific time frame	Varies; typically 15 days to pay

Common Fines: Speeding

iceland:

Varies; fines can be substantial depending on the offense

malta:

Varies; typically €35 to €70, points on license

Common Fines: Alcohol

iceland:

Varies; substantial fines, possible jail time

malta:

Varies; substantial fines and possible jail time

Common Fines: Seat Belts

iceland:

Mandatory; fines apply

malta:

Typically around €50, points may apply

Common Fines: Phone Use

iceland:

Fines if found using without hands-free

malta:

Typically around €100, points on license

Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation

iceland:

Fines and points on license

malta:

Typically around €100, points on license

Payment: On The Spot

iceland:

Possible; fines often need to be paid promptly

malta:

Rare; fines usually paid online or by mail

Payment: Deadline

iceland:

Varies; typically must be paid within specific time frame

malta:

Varies; typically 15 days to pay