Depending on your previous driving experience, driving in Bulgaria may seem a little harrowing at first. There is, however, no need to feel daunted as long as one drives defensively and sticks to the rules.
     It is important to realise that many Bulgarian drivers do exactly the opposite. Particular hazards to watch out to include: jumping the lights, overtaking on the inside, failing to obey "STOP" or "Give Way" signs, not sticking to speed limits and generally cutting you up whenever they can. This behaviour is typical of city drivers with flash cars and road rage is not uncommon here. Try to avoid confrontations, be glad if you don’t speak enough Bulgarian to engage in a slagging match! It’s just not worth getting upset.
     Foreign tourists may drive using their national license, as long as it complies with international standards. It is obligatory to have third-party insurance plus a Green or Blue card – the latter can be bought at the frontier. Entering Bulgaria, your vehicle will be registered with a special visa tag or carnet de passage which must be presented on leaving – a rule intended to prevent foreigners from selling their cars. Drivers bringing their own car should be sure to carry their log book (and make photocopies of it), their driving license and carnet de passage, and take every precaution against the documents and the vehicle being stolen. Use guarded parking lots wherever possible, and never leaves vehicles on side streets unless fitted with wheel locks and immobilizers. 

     Thanks to EU funding the quality of Bulgaria`s major roads has much improved in recent years.
     Petrol service stations have sprung up like mushrooms along most major routes and offer clean toilet and refreshment facilities along the way. Fuel in Bulgaria is lead free and available in the following octane levels: 92, 95 and 98. Diesel fuel is also widely available throughout the country. Many Bulgarians have converted their cars to run on propane gas, as this is far more economical than standard fuel.
     Road signs follow international standards. Major destinations and routes are signposted in Cyrillic and Latin letters, often however whole signboards have been stolen (for scrap metal) and it is possible to miss a turn off.   
     According to Bulgarian law belts must be worn by all passengers, mobile phones can only be used with hands-free sets and the legal alcohol limit is 0,5 per mil. Recent new rules also restrict the wearing of dark sunglasses, high heels or flip flops, as well as forbidding eating and smoking at the wheel, although just how this will be enforced remains to be seen. 
     Police may stop you to check your documents (you must carry them with you at all times!) or for committing an offence such as speeding, not wearing a seat belt etc. They are instructed to identify themselves by name. Old habits die hard and while there has been considerable progress in eradicating corruption within the police force, there are many notorious radar speed traps around the country. Oncoming motorists will warn you by flashing their headlights. Should you be unlucky enough to be caught, you can pay an on the spot fine but ask for a fiche (receipt). That way the takings do not end up in the policeman’s pocket. Generally the traffic police are friendly and polite and it is recommended that you remain likewise. Getting into an argument will only make matters worse for yourself.
     In the event of an accident the traffic police (KAT) must be called (tel. 112) an accident report will be filed. This is essential for any insurance claims. Occasionally if the damage is minor, like a broken light, the matter is settled between parties without the long wait for the traffic police.
     Road assistance - 24 hour service. Check with your car hire company for arrangements in the event of a breakdown. As of January 2005 the government has introduced a new form of road tax for most major roads, outside the main town areas. It applies to all roads marked vignette. For local cars up to 8 seats, the annual tax is 67 BGN. One can also buy vignettes valid for shorter periods of time; 25 BGN per month or 10 BGN per week. Available for sale from OMV petrol stations across the country as well as at border crossings, post offices, branches of DZI Bank, the fine for non-compliance is 500 BGN.

     Speed limits - in urban areas buses have the right of way and parking is restricted to specified spots. Speed limits in built-up areas are (50 kph), on the open road (90 kph) and highways (120 kph).

Accidents, fines and theft

     Mountainous Bulgaria has lots of hairpin bends, and in rural areas it’s important to watch out for farm animals and carts. Motorists are legally obliged to report accidents and, in case of injury, render assistance where appropriate while waiting for the police. Spot-fines for trivial offences are common practice; the police have been known to abuse this by demanding payment in euro (dollars) and pocketing the cash. Requests for a receipt might put a stop to this – or make things worse. In the event of arrest, insist on being allowed to contact your embassy.

     Drinking and driving is absolutely prohibited, punishable with a heavy fine or imprisonment. Note that flashing the lights of your car does not always mean "I am prepared to give way to you", but rather "get the hell out of my way". In the event of being in an accident or having your car stolen, you will need a police report (which can take 2-3 days) that must be taken to the local prosecutor’s office for stamping (involving another delay), and then be stamped by the local customs office, which may insist that the document is authorized by the regional office in another town. 

Fuel, maps and signs

     Although you’ll find filling stations (benzinostantsiya) on the main road exits from most large towns, and spaced 30-40 km apart along the highways, they’re few and far between once you get off the beaten track, so fill up wherever you can. Octane values aren’t always what is stated on the pump, so higher capacity engines may make plinking noises, while fuel injection vehicles sometimes have problems with dirty petrol purchased at out-of-the way stations. The most reliable sources are the 24-hour stations run by Shell, OMV, Eko, Lukoil and BP, which occupy prime sites on principal trunk routes such as the E83 near Yablanitsa, the E79 near Blagoevgrad, the E80 near Pazardzhik, national route 86 between Plovdiv and Asenovgrad, and the E772 between Aitos and Burgas, where you can also buy Super and lead-free (bezoloven) petrol. Filling stations are often marked on the motoring maps available form bookshops and street stalls. Names signposted along the highways appear in both alphabets, and although the system of transliteration is slightly different from the one most people have been used to, they’re recognizably similar. Other road signs are basically identical to those employed in the West.