If you are an Oleh Chadash, you can use your foreign driver’s license for up to one year after making Aliyah. After that, you will need to obtain an Israeli driver’s license. You can find out how to convert your license here.
Road signs in Israel are usually green or blue, and are written in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. Red road signs indicate that you are not allowed to enter the area as an Israeli citizen.
Some highways are toll roads, such as Kvish 6.
When stopping at a red light, make sure to stop your car as close to the crosswalk as possible without covering it. Otherwise, in some places, the underground road sensor will not detect your car and the green light will not turn on.
In general, within cities, if the curb is not painted, you can park for free. However, you must check the road signs at the beginning of the street to check the information about specific days and hours when parking is allowed. Parking next to un-painted curb on highways and main streets may result in a fine or towing.
If the curb has blue and white stripes, you can park as long as you pay using a parking app such as Pango or Cello.
If the curb has red and white stripes, parking is prohibited.
It is illegal to use your phone while driving, but you can use the speaker as long as you do not hold the phone in your hands.
In certain cities, some roads within religious neighborhoods are closed on Shabbat or Chagim. In other religious neighborhoods, roads are not closed, but you may find people walking in the middle of the road, and children may play without adult supervision. On Yom Kippur, in the general community (not specifically religious) some roads may also be closed and many children ride their bicycles in the middle of them.
We recommend downloading a navigation app like Waze or Google Maps to your phone, but be sure to pay attention to the road signs as well, as roads are frequently under construction and the apps may not always be up-to-date.
Sometimes – although very seldom – navigation apps can make a mistake and direct traffic through prohibited areas. Pay attention to entrance-prohibiting red road signs and remember that the signs are the law, whereas navigation apps are just a suggestion.
In case of an emergency on the road, you can find instructions on how to call for help here.