DRIVING IN BULGARIA

Western tourists are starting to discover the attractions of Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts, as well the fine skiing available in the Rila mountains. However, driving conditions here are suitable for more adventurous motorists only. At the border you must pay an entry fee and have your car's wheels disinfected.

Car crime is rife with instances of carjacking at night and thieves posing as police, if your car is stolen in Bulgaria you will be liable for import duty on it and you should take out insurance to cover this. Accidents must be reported to the police and the resulting bureaucracy can be tortuous.

Although the new toll motorways are well surfaced, other roads can be rough. Unlit farm carts and animals are a hazard at night. Filling stations can be infrequent in rural areas, and it's best to stick to multinational brands to ensure quality. Road signs are in Roman as well as Cyrillic alphabets.

Speed limits	Urban	Open road	Motorway
Car	50 kph	90-110 kph	120 kph
Towing	50 kph	70 kph	110kph
Traffic regulations
Essential equipment	Warning triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher
Minimum driving age	18 years
Drink-drive limit	50mg alcohol per 100ml blood
Child in front seat	Minimum 12 years
Seat Belt	Compulsory in front seats
Motorcyclists	Must wear crash helmet
Emergency telephone numbers
Police	165/166
Fire	160
Ambulance	150

Extracted from Haynes Glovebox guide DRIVING ABROAD by Robert Davies
This authoritive guide provides a wealth of information on all aspects of driving abroad. Order from www.haynes.co.uk