Why Iranian driving is so, tough? How can fault be determined incase of accident?

[u/Time-Manufacturer726]

Salam everyone,

Hope yall doing good! I was curious to know and learn why is Iranian driving seems so, tough for a westerner who plans to visit Iran 🇮🇷 ? I was planning to visit Iran in few months and the most toughest thing that actually shook me up is the driving part. I don’t see anyone following any rules while watching the videos so, was curious to know how do insurance companies in Iran determine who is at fault usually?

Has anyone born or raised from west been successful at driving in Iran while they were visiting? If yes please feel free to share your insights here!

Here’s one of the few videos I watched on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/mrjqS5zd268?si=nVP0equ1S8rEZLk1

[u/Aromatic_Garlic4041]

An officer and there are laws but the problem is many people think not following the rules is just them being smart and slick

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/Aromatic_Garlic4041]

Thanks for your comment but I have been watching a lots and lots of videos lately and so, far none of them show any proper driving as per the norms. Surely, great that they don’t run into accidents and drive well but still not following rules to that extent is just very strange for me to see despite Iran having a pretty good infrastructure overall. So, curious if everyone isn’t following rules how do they determine who’s at fault? Is it basically “who hit who” type a thing there?

Hasn’t the government done any reforms to civilize people more on driving end and refine their skills more & more? Do they plan on doing that in future? As I guess these small things surely are setting a very vague image of a powerhouse like Iran as last time I saw people driving this way was when I visited India so, wanted to get proper insight on this topic from someone local or experienced in this subject as I surely doesn’t want to rent a car when I visit there if it’s so, complicated to drive there just so, I keep everyone safe 🙃

[u/Aromatic_Garlic4041 → u/Time-Manufacturer726]

To be honest I personally believe Iranians aren't very rules following people my experience is unless it's enforced by harsh measure people just ignore it

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/Aromatic_Garlic4041]

Got it! Great to learn from you on this topic. Have you recently visited Iran or are you originally from there? Thanks again for your insight.

[u/Aromatic_Garlic4041 → u/Time-Manufacturer726]

I'm a 22 years old born and raised in Mashhad Iran

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/Aromatic_Garlic4041]

Okay thanks a lot. I appreciate your insight here mate!🫡

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[u/medidadfar]

i swear irans the perfect case for self-driving cars

like it can't get worse, might as well have self-driving cars take a stab at it

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/medidadfar]

👍🤣

[u/samacher]

Not from Iran, but in my country in the middle east, let‘s just say that it‘s usually the fault of the person in the back if it‘s that kind of accident. You’re probably at fault if you hit a bike or pedestrian. the rules of right of way also help determine who‘s fault it is. A traffic investigation is mandatory and it is always possible that you would get blamed for an accident that is(in your opinion, at least) not your fault.

[u/Ghost_InAHat]

and for some reason serious car incidents are rare

[u/BYRN777]

1. Fines and tickets are so cheap that it’s laughable

It’s even cheap for the middle class. People don’t care if they get a ticket really, unless they’re poor and the poor don’t even own cars…

1. There is no points system or suspension due to minor traffic violations…Like in Canada or US for instance.

Meaning if you have a phone in your hand while driving, not wearing seat belt, not using indicators, etc etc…those are not even viewed as illegal or traffic violations, while they are legally traffic violations, they’re not enforced 90% of the time.

1. Traffic and congestion

Bad city and urban planning for years lead to congested roads and freeways and huge traffic.

1. Overpopulation in Tehran

Although all major cities have the same issues I mentioned above, driving in Tehran is super chaotic because of the overpopulation in the capital

1. The cities were not build around cars and in fact has great public transportation

Like Europe, most of Iranian cities are old and even older than European cities and they were originally built for human traffic, walking, and later carriages etc, where’s North American cities were built around cars and they were new cities literally built around the same time as Henry Ford made the Model T and revolutionized automobile manufacturing and started the assembly line.

So Tehran, Esfahan, and Shiraz for example don’t have wide roads, wide sidewalks etc…Almost no Iranian city does cuz they’re all “old” and historic.

Italy, Greece, France etc have the same issues in terms of congestion and traffic.

[u/goalpostnone]

Bro you ain't seen India yet? The complete chaos their with short circuit your order following brain. Driving on Indian roads is the best real life battle game you can play.

[u/ExplanationOne2917]

i saw the video and im guessing the traffic light was out because busy intersections always have lights. thats probably why its at a weird angle, so it doesnt show that the lights are out of order and the police hadnt arrived yet to help keep traffic in order

as to the general driving in Iran, the driving might seem erratic but its much more efficient than the brain dead western traffic

i used to live in the west and people will create a massive traffic jam because a small thing is in the road, and instead of just going slowly and slightly (like just a half meter at a slow speed) into the opposite lane they will just sit there like brain dead idiots creating a massive traffic jam, probably because 90%+ population are brain dead idiots. But to be fair a larfe part of it is the insanely strict traffic rules, which are likely a result of profit seeking cops working for police depts that see citizens as a revenue stream

so the upside is that traffic in Iran tends to flow much faster and the police are way more generous and sane

the downside is that drivers need more skill and there are more accidents though accidents (at least on the cities/towns) tend to be minor except in cases of wild and erratic (criminal) driving

also insurance here doesnt make a big deal about paying out, for health and for cars. Ive never heard anyone complain about issues with insurance like in the west where many firms will reject the majority of claims in an attempt to increase profits, even if it means killing a customer

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/ExplanationOne2917]

That’s great to learn! Truly, appreciate your insight here!!

[u/big_spliff]

Lol dont go to tehran if youre worried about insurance. The lanes are basically just suggestions

[u/Time-Manufacturer726 → u/big_spliff]

👍🫡