Driving Lessons for International Drivers

Welcome to St. Louis! Bienvenido a St. Louis! सेंट लुइस में आपका स्वागत है! Willkommen in St. Louis!  セントルイスへようこそ!

Whether you are here for a short time or the long haul, making yourself at home in a new place can be stressful, especially in a new country. Everything from the language to cuisine may be unfamiliar. As you learn to navigate your new circumstances, you can also learn to navigate the roads of St. Louis. It is important for international drivers to become familiar with local regulations and nuances of driving in the metro area.

Driving practices vary greatly across the globe. Over 75 countries and territories- 34% of the world’s population- drive on the left side of the road. Another difference is the popularity of roundabouts in foreign countries. France has over 30,000 of them in use today. Forget kilometers, as speed and distance are measured in miles in the United States. These are just some of the items you’ll need to learn as someone new to American driving.

Traffic signs throughout the world share common traits. Colors used in road signage are virtually universal. Red means stop or do not enter. Blue signs designate motorist assistance or handicapped provisions. Orange is used to notify motorists of construction. Stop signs in the United States will always be octagonal and red with a white border, while stop signs in many Southeast Asian countries are triangular. Animal crossing signs are unique to different regions. Don’t look for a kangaroo crossing sign in Norway or elk crossing sign in Fiji. You will, however, find deer crossing signs throughout St. Louis and surrounding areas.

Speed limits in the U.S. not only vary from state to state, but also between municipalities. Yet across the Atlantic, the drivers of Spain are limited to 120 kph (about 75 mph) on the highway, while Germany has no speed limit on its freeways. Sharing the road in the U.S. tends to be more orderly when compared to our foreign counterparts. Driving in India has been referred to as “survival of the fittest” where automobiles share the road with thousands of pedestrians, motorcycles, carts and cattle. China commuters can spend hours locked in massive traffic jams. The St. Louis metro area is fortunate to have well maintained roadways and consistently ranks in the top ten cities in the U.S. for safe and polite drivers.

Now that you’ve made St. Louis home, you can learn to drive from professionals that have your best interests at every turn. The experienced instructors here at Missouri Driving School are available now to teach international drivers what to expect on the driver’s examination and how to operate a vehicle with safety and confidence. Call us today!