Sri Lanka is one of the many countries that have signed up with the Vienna convention on Road traffic. This convention has been ratified by 73 countries as of today. This is actually a treaty that was designed in order to encourage road safety and to initiate international traffic rules among certain parties that are contracted with the treaty. This contract was finalized in Vienna on 8th Nov 1986 at the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s Conference on Road Traffic. The significance of this treaty is less known worldwide but it should be pointed out that it makes traveling on your holiday so much easier for all tourists visiting the country. Sri Lanka basically follows the standardized road traffic signs similar to the United Kingdom that have been slightly tweaked to go along with the island’s localized culture. They are fairly easy to follow even for a foreign driver. Traffic is manageable if you avoid rush hours and driving can sometimes be a pleasure.
The Vienna convention on road traffic treaty allows tourists of certain countries to drive around the country using their local driving licenses for a period of three months from the date that their VISA was issued. Although Sri Lanka has a good public transport network, the hassle and stress of traveling in a Sri Lankan bus or train would be far too much for a foreigner and self driving or renting a car for the period of stay is advisable. There are many reliable rent a car services available in the city that assists foreign tourists to seek guidance on the particular vehicle they should hire depending on their length of stay. This process could even be done beforehand during the planning stage of a trip where one could book and secure a particular vehicle via a booking system online. If the tourist is extending his stay on the island, the process is basic and simple; they would simply have to convert their local driver’s license to a Sri Lankan driving license by providing the necessary documents to the Department of Motor Traffic. This process could be done within a day.
The first thing to do before you leave for your trip to Sri Lanka is to research for rent a car services online. The internet will be your guide for this. There are many companies that are available to assist you. It will be better if you book a car online as this will save you some time and you could enjoy the country more.
