Driving in America for the World Cup? Here’s what you need to know

The World Cup is set to start soon, with this summer’s tournament taking place across North America, with fixtures set for a variety of locations throughout America, Canada and Mexico.

All of England and Scotland’s games will be played in the United States, however, and this means that the bulk of UK visitors will be driving in the US. If you’ve never driven in America before, then we’ve got all of the tips to remember. Let’s dive in.

The basics

In the USA, drivers use the right-hand side of the road. It’s a key difference from the UK. A full UK licence will be required to rent and drive a car within the UK, and while an International Drivers Permit (IDP) isn’t a legal requirement in the states where England and Scotland are playing their matches, it is recommended to get one before travelling out to America.

Renting a car

Most rental companies require drivers to be at least 21, and nearly all will charge a ‘young person surcharge’ for drivers under 25. Double-check this, as costs can quickly go up if you’re a younger driver.

Stop signs

A four-way stop sign requires all drivers to come to a full stop when arriving at the junction. Priority goes to those who arrive at the junction and stop first, so concentrate on who gets to the junction initially, as they’ll be the ones permitted to leave first. It might feel alien at first, but remain calm and it soon becomes second-nature to work out.

However, not all stop signs indicate a four-way junction. In some instances, cross traffic has right of way and you’ll need to treat this like a usual junction exit as you would in the UK. Again, you’ll need to come to a complete stop before moving out.

Turning right on a red

Treat a red light like you would a stop sign. Approach the light with your indicator on and come to a full stop. Once you’ve checked that the area ahead is clear and that there aren’t any pedestrians crossing, merge onto the road and speed up. Some junctions have dedicated ‘right turn’ lanes, too, so use this if it applies to you.

Interstates/freeways

Interstate exits are numbered differently from motorway junctions in the UK. Whereas UK junctions go in numerical order, American interstate exits are numbered based on the mileage travelled. For instance, if you passed exit 250 and travelled 10 miles to the next junction, it would be labelled as exit 260.

Speed limits

Fire hydrants

Drink-drive limit

In America, nearly all states have a low drink-drive limit of 0.08 per cent Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). In the state of Utah, this is slightly lower at 0.05 per cent. The way that the drink-drive limit is calculated in England is different to America, but the two are quite similar with Scotland’s slightly stricter. As always, it’s recommended that if you’re planning to drive, you don’t have an alcoholic drink. In America, there’s a close to zero-tolerance drink-drive limit for those aged under 21, too.

Getting fuel

Also, beware the colours of the pumps. In America, a green pump is for diesel while the black one is for petrol. Given that it’s a complete reversal of the UK’s system, it’s worth taking extra care here.

What to do if you are pulled over by police

Be polite and respond to any questions that the officer may ask. Again, remain calm with your hands clearly visible at all times.

Prepare for long distances

The US is a much, much larger country than the UK, so bear in mind that your travelling and drive times will be increased. What appears to be a two-to-three-hour car journey on the map could well end up actually being double that, so make sure you take frequent breaks and give yourself time to relax.