General Driving Tips

Foreign drivers unused to Taiwan's roadways will probably feel intimidated by the often-chaotic local driving habits and patterns. Below are some general driving tips to keep in mind:

-Always practice good defensive driving and never assume that other drivers will obey traffic laws, including stopping at red lights, signaling before turns, and turning from proper lanes.

-Drivers and passengers should wear seatbelts at all times, as required by law. The seatbelt law is strictly enforced on freeways, with fines handed out for infractions.

-Motorcyclists are required to wear helmets at all times.

-Keep your speed down, particularly during city driving and in poor weather conditions.

-Maintain as much space between your car or motorcycle and other vehicles as possible on all sides. This will give you more time to respond to unexpected actions by other drivers.

-When turning or changing lanes, always check carefully on both sides for other vehicles, particularly motorcycles, which tend to weave in and out of traffic at high speed. In the event of an accident involving a larger vehicle, motorcyclists are usually given the benefit of the doubt.

-Be aware that local drivers frequently make left turns from right lanes and vice versa, or U-turns from any lane.

-When crossing controlled or uncontrolled intersections, exercise extreme caution. Motorists frequently run through red lights, or fail to slow down at uncontrolled intersections despite "stop" or "yield" signs.

-When turning right off of major roadways, such as TaiZhongGang Road, one must first get into the slow-traffic lane--separated by a median--a block beforehand. For left turns at major intersections, there is usually a left-turn signal. Right turns are not allowed on red lights.

-Motorcyclists are required to make two-stage left turns at traffic lights, crossing the intersection to the painted motorcycle box to wait for the other traffic signal to turn green.

-Always double-check for motorcycles are cars before opening vehicle doors on roadsides.