ColombiaColombia

Drive on the right-hand side of the road.

Normally overtake on the left. On two-way roads, drivers normally use the right-hand lane and use the left lane cautiously when overtaking.

Call 123 for the national emergency service. For road-safety assistance and information, the National Police also uses #767.

Colombia does not use a simple permitted BAC limit in the usual sense. Administrative drink-driving sanctions begin at 20 mg of ethanol per 100 ml of blood (0.02%), classified as grado cero de alcoholemia. The practical rule is therefore not to drink before driving.

Grado cero covers 20–39 mg of ethanol per 100 ml of blood, first degree 40–99 mg, second degree 100–149 mg and third degree 150 mg or more per 100 ml.

The competent local authority sets and signs the limit, but the general national ceiling is 50 km/h on urban roads and municipal roads. Lower limits are common and must be followed.

The national maximum in school and residential zones is 30 km/h.

The road authority determines and signs the applicable speed according to the road, but the general national ceiling is 90 km/h, subject to the specific divided-road exception and other legally established arrangements.

On a divided road with no pedestrian crossings incorporated into its design, the legal maximum can be 120 km/h. This is not a universal motorway limit, so always follow the posted speed.

No. Colombia does not use a nationwide road vignette. Tolls are charged on particular roads and concessioned highway sections.

Many toll roads use conventional toll stations. Colombia also operates Colpass, an interoperable electronic system in which an RFID TAG can be used to pay electronically at participating toll stations across the country.

Yes. The driver and front-seat passengers must wear seat belts on all roads. Rear-seat belt use is also compulsory in vehicles manufactured from 2004 onward, according to the applicable regulations.

Colombia does not currently have a universal national child-seat rule based on a 135 cm or 150 cm threshold. The Traffic Code specifically requires a child under 2 years old to travel in the rear using a securely fixed safety seat in the situation covered by Article 82 when the child is travelling only with the driver.

Children under 10 years old may not travel in the front seat.

Yes. Both the motorcycle rider and passenger must wear an approved safety helmet.

Yes. Motorcycles must keep their front and rear lights switched on at all times while travelling on public roads.

Motorcycles must occupy a traffic lane. The Traffic Code prohibits overtaking on the right or passing between vehicles travelling in their respective lanes; overtaking should use the available lane to the left.

There is no general nationwide requirement for ordinary cars to use headlights throughout the entire day. Exterior lights must be used from 18:00 to 06:00 and whenever visibility conditions are adverse.

Using a mobile communication system or phone while driving is prohibited unless it is used with hands-free accessories or auxiliary equipment. Handling the phone while driving should therefore be avoided.

At an unsigned intersection, except a roundabout, the vehicle approaching from the right has priority.

A vehicle already moving within the roundabout has priority over vehicles attempting to enter it.

When vehicles meet in circumstances covered by the priority rules on a slope, the vehicle travelling uphill has priority.

Drivers of motor vehicles must respect the rights and safety of pedestrians and give them priority on the road where the traffic rules require it. The national code also provides specific protections at pedestrian areas and crossings.

A motor-vehicle driver must leave at least 1.5 metres of lateral distance when overtaking a cyclist or a user of a covered light electric personal-mobility vehicle.

Pico y Placa is a local traffic-restriction system used by cities such as Bogotá and Medellín to restrict certain vehicles according to registration-plate numbers and schedules. The rules vary by city and change periodically, so check the current local rules before driving.

Yes. A valid foreign driving licence used by a tourist or person in transit is recognised during the period of stay authorised to that person, subject to the applicable international provisions.

Not universally. Colombian law directly recognises qualifying valid foreign driving licences for tourists and people in transit during their authorised stay. Applicable international arrangements and rental-company requirements should still be checked.

Yes. Vehicles travelling in Colombia must be covered by a valid Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito (SOAT), which provides compulsory accident coverage.

Vehicles are subject to the Revisión Técnico-Mecánica y de Emisiones Contaminantes. For a new private vehicle other than a motorcycle, the first inspection is generally required from the fifth year after initial registration; motorcycles and public-service vehicles follow earlier inspection schedules.

The mandatory road kit includes items such as two warning triangles or flashing yellow warning lamps, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher. The statutory equipment list also includes a jack, wheel wrench, two wheel chocks, basic tools, a spare tyre and a flashlight.

Heavy rainfall can trigger landslides, mudflows, flooding and sudden road closures, particularly on mountainous routes. Check current road conditions before longer journeys and obey closures or restrictions imposed by Invías and local authorities.

Colombia uses nationally standardised road signs with internationally recognisable symbols, while written legends and destination information are primarily in Spanish.