Laws are put in place for a reason and when it comes to driving, the primary goal is to keep everybody on the road safe and secure. Whilst every country in the world has its own distinct rules and regulations, which is expected, the very core basic ones are always similar.
Things like speed limits, traffic lights, and stop signs are commonplace in more countries around the world and they all make perfect sense. However, in most places, there can be found some rather unique, strange rules as well.
Around the world, there are driving laws that in other countries would seem completely insane, and within this list, we will explore 10 of the craziest and strangest driving laws from around the world.
10 Sleighbells Ring (Canada)
This rule could only exist in Canada, and it is one you have to read to believe, but there is actually a law about the minimum number of bells that are allowed on a sleigh for it to be allowed on the road in the country.
Of course, this rule isn't going to really bother many people as there isn't exactly a ton of people with sleighs in their garage ready to burst out at any moment, but for those that have one, it could be an issue.
Thankfully, anyone who is looking to hit the road with their sleigh this year need not worry, as the minimum number is only two bells. Who knew that Santa Claus had so many restrictions against him on Christmas?
9 Drinking And Driving (Costa Rica)
For the majority of countries around the world, there is a strict drink drive limit that can cause some very hefty punishments if ignored, but there is no such law happening in Costa Rica, where drinking and driving are totally legal.
Even though there is now proven science surrounding the dangers of a driver drinking whilst under the influence, or attempting to drive whilst drinking alcohol at the same time, it appears Costa Rica hasn't got the message yet.
As long as you do not appear to be too intoxicated (however much that might be), then authorities in Costa Rica won't be bothering you whilst drinking a beer at the wheel.
8 No Stopping (Germany)
The Autobahn in Germany is one of the most famous roads in the world and it is renowned for its rather crazy law that there is no set speed limit, which makes it one of the fastest roads in the world as well.
However, that isn't the rule that we will be focusing on here, as this rule is even weirder as it is actually illegal to stop or break down on the Autobahn for any reason other than an emergency.
In most countries, regardless of the road size, cars are able to stop for break downs or a lack of fuel, but in Germany that is considered to be driver negligence and can lead to a six-month ban or potentially prison time!
7 Law Of The Jungle (South Africa)
Whilst vehicles might be the most dangerous things on the roads of many countries, in South Africa that simply isn't the case due to the incredible wildlife that inhabits the area and calls it their home.
It is very common to see animals wandering around on roads near their natural habitats, where humans have encroached and because of that, the animals in the country have the same right to the roads as the motorists do.
Whilst the animals in the way might not always be a pack of lions, drivers must always stop to allow them their time to move, however long that may take, or else risk a hefty fine.
6 Lights On (Sweden)
The actual reasoning behind this, quite bizarre reason remain unclear to this day, but in Sweden (and several other European countries), it is actually the law that drivers must have their headlights on at all times.
That's right, that means drivers are required to have their headlights on even when it is daylight and people can see fine, which makes it quite confusing and doesn't seem like it is beneficial to the cars themselves.
However, that is the law that is in place and those who are caught with the lights off at any point can expect themselves to be gaining a fine for doing so.
5 No Monkeying Around (America)
In America, every state has vastly different laws when it comes to driving, so it is always best to check up on them, especially if you are driving through several at any point in time and some states have some truly crazy rules.
However, the strangest of all the official laws might just come from Massachusetts where they have laid down the law when it comes to Gorilla's, as anyone caught driving with one in the back of the car will receive a ticket.
Why anybody would want to be driving their car around Massachusetts with an incredibly dangerous Gorilla in the back, or where they would get such an animal from is anyone's guess, but the law is the law!
4 Historical Ignorance (Italy)
As one of the oldest countries in the world, Italy is one that is packed with history which is one of the major reasons for people to travel to see some of the incredible sights from history.
However, sightseeing some of the fantastic architecture might not be possible in a car as many areas of Italy is designated historic zones, known as ZTL zones, which means you cannot drive there without a permit.
People must have specific permits in order to drive around one of these zones, which are kept very limited in terms of cars to preserve the area and they can be found in the likes of Rome, Florence, and Milan.
3 No Eating Allowed (Cyprus)
In Cyprus, one driving law states that nobody is allowed to eat or drink inside a car at any point. That's right, not at any point, even if the car is parked up and not moving, meaning any late night snacks during a road trip are a big no.
Obviously, driving whilst eating and drinking can obviously be dangerous due to the distractions, but the fact that there can never be any eating or drinking in a car regardless of if it is parked or not seems a strange one.
Of course, if you are one of those drivers who try to keep their cars as clean and tidy as possible and doesn't let food or drink into the car at any point, then this rule really wouldn't be too wild for you.
2 Radio Silence (Spain)
Most people tend to have some form of entertainment in the background whilst they are driving. Whether it be a CD, a podcast or the radio, drivers often have something on in order to keep them occupied as they go about their day.
That is the case in Spain as well, except for one very specific place, where it happens to be against the law. That place? Well, it is the gas station of course, where it is against the law to have the radio on whilst filling up the car with fuel.
It isn't quite clear why the rule is in place, but a charge of 91 Euros is in place for anyone who is caught singing along to a tune whilst filling up the tank.
1 Splashing Pedestrians (UK)
In the UK it tends to rain... a lot, and because of that, there are often puddles created at the sides of roads which can cause problems for those wanting to walk on the pavements, as it can lead to them being soaked.
There was a time in the UK when cars would purposefully drive into the puddles when someone was walking by on the side as pictured, in order to soak them, especially at bus stops when people were waiting to be picked up.
The issue became so severe that the UK government decided to act and made it a law with drivers who are caught doing it potentially being fined £5,000 with points being placed on their license to boot.