Good to know

When travelling by car in Iceland one must familiarize themselves with traffic rules and regularly check the road conditions.

To check the road conditions and closures on this interactive map at umferdin.is. Alternatively, you can also call the Icelandic Road Administration (phone: 1777) during weekdays.

Drivers must pay attention when encountering:

Sheep on the road: If drivers encounter sheep on the road, they must slow down and gently honk the horn as this will alert the sheep to run to the side of the road. If they notice that a sheep is on one side of the road and a lamb on the other side, they should expect that the sheep or the lamb will run to the other side. If a driver hits a sheep, they must call 112. Drivers can be held liable for hitting sheep.

Single-lane bridges: Single-lane bridges must be approached slowly and with caution. The general rule is that the car closer to the bridge has the right of way. After that, vehicles on each side take turns crossing. Have a look at this video to familiarize yourself with single-lane bridge safety.

Tunnels: There are currently 14 open road tunnels in Iceland. Tunnels are usually build under mountains to prevent winter isolation of remote communities which would otherwise have to depend on high roads that are often closed due to snow, to shorten distances between communities, and to increase road safety by bypassing dangerous stretches of road. Hvalfjörður Tunnel, is a tunnel under a fjord, and is among the longest underwater roads in the world. Learn more about tunnels and road safety in tunnels by clicking here.

Single-lane tunnels: Single-lane tunnels in Iceland have frequent passing places, where vehicles pull over to allow oncoming traffic to pass. Passing places are usually spaced around every 100-150 meters, allowing drivers to pull to the side when they encounter an approaching vehicle. In single-lane tunnels, right-of-way rules are very specific. The vehicle closest to a passing place , on your side (right side of the road), is required to stop to let the oncoming vehicle pass. In many cases, signage or lights at the tunnel’s entrance will indicate right-of-way and give instructions for drivers.

Due to the narrow space and possible oncoming traffic, speed limits are strictly enforced, and drivers must go slowly. Some of these tunnels are equipped with good lighting, but visibility can still be challenging. Drivers should enter slowly, keep their headlights on, and be prepared to yield.