How to drive with international driver license in Calgary, Canada
by ampmlimo, on Nov 10, 2015 8:25:52 AM
Driving in Alberta, Canada
Thinking of driving yourself in Canada?
Make sure to secure your IDP or International Driver’s Permit on top of your home Driver’s License in your country’s Automobile Association before your travel as you cannot apply for an IDP in your visiting country nor rent a car without proper documents. Your permit will be valid for a year starting from its issuing date so make sure to get one a month or so before your travel period. In some cases, you won’t need an IDP if your driver’s license is translated in your visiting country’s language (English or French). The best way to know this is if you will contact your car rental provider and ask instead of calling the Automobile Association.
Like most countries, Canadians drive on the right side of the road bringing some road issues for European, British, Australian and African drivers. The best way is to prepare your mindset and allow yourself to get used to the feeling before deciding to hit the road.
Road conditions are excellent even when driving out to the Canadian Rockies. Expect to do a minimum of a 4 hour drive if you’re going to the mountains and make sure to plan out your fuel stops as it might not be conveniently available in some areas. Bikers are given their own lane so make sure to slow down in curves and intersections.
Road signs are visible and are similar to those used most countries. You should watch out for signs regarding wildlife crossing nearby. Some animals would be entranced by the car lights and stand still in the path or bolt across the road out of nowhere. So make sure to follow the speed limit (50km/h in cities and 80-100km/h in highways), fasten your seatbelts and always practice defensive driving.
Before deciding on your trip date, it is best to consider the season/weather. Winter is highly known to have accident prone areas in the region due to steep roads and snow fall. so if you are not familiar on the road, it is best to travel in the summer to drive on dry land.
Canada is such a beautiful country to visit. Exploring your way to its vast lands can be a long and tiring experience. To focus more on enjoying your trip rather than the road, you might want to consider hiring your very own chauffer and limo at an affordable price! Let us know more about your travel details and we’ll gladly assist you!
