In Iceland, you must drive on the right-hand side of the road, have your headlights on at all times and make sure you are always wearing a seatbelt.
Most of the main roads are paved in Iceland, with some gravel and dirt roads in the eastern part of the country. Smaller roads are gravel tracks and often less well kept so you should take care when driving on these.
Watch out for sheep… No Seriously. Sheep outnumber people in Iceland so it’s important to keep your eyes on the road. Hitting one could cause a lot of damage to your car and cost you a lot of money. If you see a sheep near the side of the road make sure to drive slowly. If you see a sheep on the road, use your horn!
The places you want to visit will affect the type of vehicle you may need due to legislation around road types. If you’re planning on sticking to main routes and roads in Iceland then a regular vehicle will be fine, if you’re wanting to be a bit more adventurous then it may be worth upgrading to a 4X4.
A lot of the mountain roads are closed until the summer (usually June). These roads are marked as ‘F’ roads and are some of the most dangerous in Iceland. It’s important to note that these roads are not suitable for regular cars and should only be driven on in 4X4s.
The road conditions in Iceland can be very dangerous and can change in seconds, it’s important to make sure you are paying attention at all times.
Take care especially in harsh weather conditions, the roads can very very deceiving and visibility can be low especially in high winds.