Victoria BC Tourism

Lesson 1: Before You Leave Home

Driving in BC

Car Rental
If you plan to rent a car in BC, you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit from your own country. Car rental offices require you to be age 21 (sometimes age 25) in order to rent a car. You must also possess a credit card. It is highly recommended to arrange for car rental before you leave home. All the international car rental companies have offices in British Columbia. They are in every airport and in all cities and larger towns. If you plan to rent a recreational vehicle, it is imperative you arrange the rental well in advance.

Rules of the Road

• You drive on the right hand side of the road, just like the rest of North America.
• Right turns are permitted on a red light unless a sign is posted.
• Seatbelts are compulsory.
• Distance and speed are quoted in the metric system. What is known as a mile in some countries, is a kilometer (km) in BC. A km is approximately 5/9 of a mile. The speed limits are posted in km/hr
• All cars in Canada have the speedometers and odometers calibrated in kilometers. Some cars have dual speedometers which quote both km/hr and miles per hour (mph).

Quick Tips on Metric

• A distance of 18 km is 10 miles.
• If you see a speed limit of 50 km/hr, it is 30 miles per hour. This is the usual rate in cities and towns, unless otherwise posted.
• Some of the main thoroughfares have a speed limit of 80 km/hr is 50 mph.
• Highways are usually 100 km/hr, which is 60 mph.

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