Driving in Israel: Phones forbidden, blinkers optional

It’s a regional cliché, and like most clichés, it exists for a reason. Israelis have a reputation for being… enthusiastic drivers. Not necessarily careful ones. 

Then again, they’re in good company. From Lebanon to Egypt, via Jordan and Syria, road manners are often more a suggestion than a rule.

The Israel government has now decided to get serious. Very serious.

New measures are set to introduce tougher controls and hefty fines for familiar offenses: using a phone while driving, running red lights, crossing solid lines, or excessive speeding. The penalty will be $500 per violation, doubled in case of repeat offenses. Enough to hurt wallets, if not habits.

Yet, some of the most widespread driving behaviors appear to have escaped regulatory attention. For instance, the near-total absence of turn-signal use. 

Many drivers seem convinced that indicators are optional accessories, best left unused. As for rearview mirrors, a large share of motorists appear to believe they exist mainly to check one’s hairstyle, not to observe approaching traffic.

Zigzagging across highways at full speed also remains oddly unpunished, preserving one of the country’s most creative automotive traditions.

The selective nature of the crackdown has sparked quiet amusement among drivers, who suspect that bureaucrats in Jerusalem may not drive very often, or at least not during peak hours.

For now, no official date has been announced for the enforcement of these measures. Until then, Israeli roads will likely continue to offer their usual spectacle: horns, sudden lane changes, missing blinkers, and mirrors used more for grooming than for safety.