Driving in Malta

Which side of the road

Malta drives on the left, as in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus. The minimum age to drive here is 18.

If you're used to driving on the right it takes an hour or two to settle in. The simplest trick is to follow the car in front and stop thinking about it — there is plenty of traffic to copy. The moments to concentrate are the ones with no traffic around you: pulling out of an empty car park, or turning onto a quiet village street early in the morning.

Traffic and rush hour

There are more cars in Malta than there are people, and roughly thirty new vehicles are registered every day. Expect the roads to be busy, and expect junctions to be slower than the distance suggests.

Rush hour is around 8am and again around 6pm. If you are heading to the airport or across the island, add a comfortable margin at those times.

Speed limits and cameras

• 40 km/h in built-up areas
• 60 km/h on the major open roads, known locally as by-passes

There are a good number of speed cameras and enforcement is strict — going more than 5 km/h over the limit is enough to earn a fine. Speeds here are low enough that this rarely costs you real time.

Seatbelts and children

Seatbelts are compulsory in both the front and the back seats. Children must travel in the rear of the vehicle and must wear seat belts.

Alcohol limit

The legal limit is 0.08 — that is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. In practice, two drinks inside an hour can already put you over it. The police carry breathalysers and do use them.

Mobile phones

Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is strictly prohibited and the fines are high. A headset is permitted — but wear it in your left ear only, so your right ear stays clear towards the centre of the road, since we drive on the left.

Parking

Street parking in Malta is free of charge, and our cars are licensed to be left overnight in public areas including on the road. That alone removes a cost most visitors expect to pay.

Finding a space is the harder part in Valletta, Sliema and Paceville. There are plenty of car parks in those areas; prices vary but roughly €2 an hour is typical.

• Never park or stop on double yellow lines — regardless of how many other cars you can see doing exactly that.
• Parking badly can cost you a fine of around €25, and in the worst case a clamp or a tow, which costs considerably more.
• Bays reserved for disabled drivers require a blue sticker. Without the sticker displayed you will be fined even if you are genuinely entitled to the space.

Toll roads

There are none. No toll roads exist anywhere in the Maltese Islands.

Roundabouts and local habits

Maltese drivers have a reputation for being assertive, but not reckless — and speeds are low enough that the roads never feel dangerous. The one thing visitors find genuinely confusing is roundabouts, where who goes first is sometimes decided socially rather than by the markings.

The rule of thumb is that the driver on your right has priority. The practical technique is to make eye contact: once you and the other driver have acknowledged one another, one of you goes, and it resolves itself without drama.

Breakdowns and accidents

If the car simply won't behave — a warning light, a flat, anything mechanical — call the number we give you at handover. Put on the reflective jacket and wait somewhere safe, away from moving traffic, while we come to you.

If you are involved in a collision and nobody is injured, call the Traffic Wardens on +356 2132 0202.

If anyone is injured, call the emergency services on 112.

In either case, wait for them to arrive and do not move the vehicle unless it is creating a danger to other road users. While you wait, photograph the scene thoroughly and make a note of the warden or police report number — your insurer will need it.

Then call us on +356 9949 8140. We will get to you as quickly as we can.