Driving Differences: Latvia vs. Samoa for Safe Travels

When exploring the roads of Latvia and Samoa, travelers encounter distinct regulations and practices that shape their driving experiences. Key contrasts include the side of the road for navigation—right in Latvia versus left in Samoa—and differing speed limits and rules regarding overtaking. Understanding these variances is essential for ensuring a secure journey in each country.

latviasamoa

RIGHT

Driving Side

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

Driving Safety Score

The driving Driving Safety Score in latvia is 71

1.692 $

Gas Price in USD

The driving Driving Safety Score for latvia is 1.692 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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	Latvia	Samoa
Driving Side	Right	Left
Markings: Solid Yellow Line	Marks the left edge on divided roads.	Marks the centerline on two-way roads.
Overtaking: On Left	Yes	No
Overtaking: On Right	Not commonly practiced; generally only when the lane is clear.	Yes
Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles	Use rightmost lane.	Use leftmost lane.
Bus Lanes: Presence	Yes	No
Bus Lanes: Usage	Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis.	N/A
Bus Lanes: Markings	Labeled 'BUS' or 'BUS ONLY'; often with road signs.	N/A
Cycle Lanes: Presence	Yes	No
Cycle Lanes: Usage	Exclusive for bicycles.	N/A
Cycle Lanes: Markings	Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.	N/A
High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements	N/A	N/A
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	N/A	N/A

Driving Side

latvia:

Right

samoa:

Left

Markings: Solid Yellow Line

latvia:

Marks the left edge on divided roads.

samoa:

Marks the centerline on two-way roads.

Overtaking: On Left

latvia:

Yes

samoa:

Overtaking: On Right

latvia:

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

samoa:

Yes

Lane Usage: Slow Vehicles

latvia:

Use rightmost lane.

samoa:

Use leftmost lane.

Bus Lanes: Presence

latvia:

Yes

samoa:

Bus Lanes: Usage

latvia:

Reserved for buses and sometimes taxis.

samoa:

N/A

Bus Lanes: Markings

latvia:

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

samoa:

N/A

Cycle Lanes: Presence

latvia:

Yes

samoa:

Cycle Lanes: Usage

latvia:

Exclusive for bicycles.

samoa:

N/A

Cycle Lanes: Markings

latvia:

Bicycle symbols and colored pavement.

samoa:

N/A

High- Occupancy Lanes: Requirements

latvia:

N/A

samoa:

N/A

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

latvia:

N/A

samoa:

N/A

Speeds Limits

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	Latvia	Samoa
Urban Areas: Standard	50 km/h	25-40 km/h
Urban Areas: Residential Zones	30 km/h	20 km/h
Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles	90 km/h	55-80 km/h
Rural Areas: Buses And Vans	80 km/h	55-80 km/h
Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers	80 km/h	55-80 km/h
Highways: Cars And Motorcycles	100 km/h	Not applicable
Highways: Buses And Vans	90 km/h	Not applicable
Highways: Trucks And Trailers	80 km/h	Not applicable
Variable Speed Limits: Presence	Yes	No
Variable Speed Limits: Indications	Electronic signs display current limits	N/A
Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines	Common; fines are often issued immediately	Yes

Urban Areas: Standard

latvia:

50 km/h

samoa:

25-40 km/h

Urban Areas: Residential Zones

latvia:

30 km/h

samoa:

20 km/h

Rural Areas: Cars And Motorcycles

latvia:

90 km/h

samoa:

55-80 km/h

Rural Areas: Buses And Vans

latvia:

80 km/h

samoa:

55-80 km/h

Rural Areas: Trucks And Trailers

latvia:

80 km/h

samoa:

55-80 km/h

Highways: Cars And Motorcycles

latvia:

100 km/h

samoa:

Not applicable

Highways: Buses And Vans

latvia:

90 km/h

samoa:

Not applicable

Highways: Trucks And Trailers

latvia:

80 km/h

samoa:

Not applicable

Variable Speed Limits: Presence

latvia:

Yes

samoa:

Variable Speed Limits: Indications

latvia:

Electronic signs display current limits

samoa:

N/A

Enforcement: On-the- Spot Fines

latvia:

Common; fines are often issued immediately

samoa:

Yes

Signals

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

Traffic Lights: Red And Amber Together

latvia:

Not used in Latvia

samoa:

Not used in Samoa

Use Of Indicators: Roundabouts

latvia:

Signal when entering and exiting

samoa:

Signal when exiting

Traffic Signs: Language

latvia:

Latvian; symbols are standard

samoa:

English and Samoan; symbols are standard

Traffic Signs: Warning

latvia:

Triangle-shaped with red borders

samoa:

Diamond-shaped with yellow background

Turns

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	Latvia		Samoa
Right Turn On Red	Allowed unless prohibited by a sign		Not allowed
U- Turns Allowed	Permitted unless signs indicate otherwise		Allowed unless prohibited by a sign

Right Turn On Red

latvia:

Allowed unless prohibited by a sign

samoa:

Not allowed

U- Turns Allowed

latvia:

Permitted unless signs indicate otherwise

samoa:

Allowed unless prohibited by a sign

Documentation

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	Latvia	Samoa
Driver's License: Foreign: E U/ E E A	Accepted, no International Driving Permit required	Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended
Vehicle Inspection: Requirement	Annual vehicle inspection required	Annual inspection required
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Mandatory	Not mandatory
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Mandatory	Not mandatory

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

latvia:

Accepted, no International Driving Permit required

samoa:

Accepted for short visits; International Driving Permit recommended

Vehicle Inspection: Requirement

latvia:

Annual vehicle inspection required

samoa:

Annual inspection required

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

latvia:

Mandatory

samoa:

Not mandatory

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

latvia:

Mandatory

samoa:

Not mandatory

Road Etiquette

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	Latvia		Samoa
Pedestrians Priority	Pedestrians have right of way at zebra crossings		Pedestrians have right of way at crosswalks
Emergency Vehicles: Protocol	Pull over to the right and stop if necessary		Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

Pedestrians Priority

latvia:

Pedestrians have right of way at zebra crossings

samoa:

Pedestrians have right of way at crosswalks

Emergency Vehicles: Protocol

latvia:

Pull over to the right and stop if necessary

samoa:

Pull over to the left and stop if necessary

Alcohol

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	Latvia	Samoa
Limits: General Drivers	0.05%	0.08%
Limits: Professional Drivers	0.00%	0.02%
Limits: Underage Drivers	0.00%	0.00% to 0.02%; zero tolerance
Enforcement: Random Checks	Common, especially on weekends	Common
Enforcement: Fines	Substantial, varies based on BAC	Varies; can be substantial
Test Refusal	Can result in license suspension and fines	Can result in license suspension

Limits: General Drivers

latvia:

0.05%

samoa:

0.08%

Limits: Professional Drivers

latvia:

0.00%

samoa:

0.02%

Limits: Underage Drivers

latvia:

0.00%

samoa:

0.00% to 0.02%; zero tolerance

Enforcement: Random Checks

latvia:

Common, especially on weekends

samoa:

Common

Enforcement: Fines

latvia:

Substantial, varies based on BAC

samoa:

Varies; can be substantial

Test Refusal

latvia:

Can result in license suspension and fines

samoa:

Can result in license suspension

Roundabouts

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	Latvia		Samoa
Signaling: Exiting	Signal right when preparing to exit		Signal left when preparing to exit

Signaling: Exiting

latvia:

Signal right when preparing to exit

samoa:

Signal left when preparing to exit

Emergency Services

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	Latvia	Samoa
Contact: General Emergency	112	911
Contact: Traffic Police	Varies; dial 112 for emergencies	685-22-222
Contact: Roadside Assistance	Check with your insurance provider or local services	Check with your insurance provider
Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles	Mandatory	Not mandatory, but recommended
Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest	Mandatory	Not mandatory, but recommended

Contact: General Emergency

latvia:

112

samoa:

911

Contact: Traffic Police

latvia:

Varies; dial 112 for emergencies

samoa:

685-22-222

Contact: Roadside Assistance

latvia:

Check with your insurance provider or local services

samoa:

Check with your insurance provider

Emergency Equipment: Warning Triangles

latvia:

Mandatory

samoa:

Not mandatory, but recommended

Emergency Equipment: Reflective Vest

latvia:

Mandatory

samoa:

Not mandatory, but recommended

Penalties And Fines

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	Latvia	Samoa
Common Fines: Speeding	Varies; €20 to €300, points on license	Varies; ST$50 to ST$500, points on license
Common Fines: Alcohol	Varies; substantial fines, possible license suspension	Varies; substantial fines, possible jail time
Common Fines: Seat Belts	€20 to €40, fines vary	ST$100 to ST$200
Common Fines: Phone Use	€10 to €30, fines vary	ST$50 to ST$300
Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation	€30 to €70, points on license	ST$100 to ST$500, points on license
Payment: On The Spot	Common; fines can often be settled at the time	Yes; fines usually paid online or by mail afterwards
Payment: Deadline	Varies; typically within 10 to 30 days	Varies; typically 30 days to pay

Common Fines: Speeding

latvia:

Varies; €20 to €300, points on license

samoa:

Varies; ST$50 to ST$500, points on license

Common Fines: Alcohol

latvia:

Varies; substantial fines, possible license suspension

samoa:

Varies; substantial fines, possible jail time

Common Fines: Seat Belts

latvia:

€20 to €40, fines vary

samoa:

ST$100 to ST$200

Common Fines: Phone Use

latvia:

€10 to €30, fines vary

samoa:

ST$50 to ST$300

Common Fines: Traffic Light Violation

latvia:

€30 to €70, points on license

samoa:

ST$100 to ST$500, points on license

Payment: On The Spot

latvia:

Common; fines can often be settled at the time

samoa:

Yes; fines usually paid online or by mail afterwards

Payment: Deadline

latvia:

Varies; typically within 10 to 30 days

samoa:

Varies; typically 30 days to pay