New Driver’s License Exam Blesses English Speaking Expats

As we explored a couple of months ago, driving in Chile will be a new experience for westerners. We tend to take the things we’re used to for granted, almost relegating it to common sense.

Just yesterday, while discussing plans with the folks over at Relocation Rally, this topic came up. We have a tendency to think that our way of doing things is the right way. As Americans, we yield the left and stay to the right. Are the British and Australians wrong? Of course not. It’s a matter of culture and often sometimes simply just a matter of agreement, so that we don’t step on each other’s toes.

If you’ve spent any time in Chile, you know that the transportation system is excellent. Getting from one part of Santiago to another is generally just a matter of getting on the right bus at the right stop, and connecting to other buses or the Metro as necessary to get to your destination. The buses run regularly and the metros are probably never more than five minutes apart.

If you’re traveling outside Santiago the transportation becomes less standardized, but still works very well. Whether you’re flying the length of the country or simply taking a bus to the coast, you can generally get to wherever you want to be by bus and just a little walking.

However, there are times when you’ll want to go off the beaten path, visit a friend or need to save some time. As convenient as the bus systems are, they don’t quite go everywhere. And they take quite a bit longer, due to the frequent stops (especially in the cities). In other words, you’ll need to drive.

When first visiting Chile, it’s advisable to spend a decent amount of time studying the traffic laws. Our previous article on driving in Chile helps illustrate the challenge, but it’s hardly exhaustive. And there are plenty of ways you can get yourself into a predicament because they don’t do things here like they do where you come from.

As an example, some of the streets in Santiago are split between one way and two way, depending upon the time of day. During the day and at night, lanes go both directions. In the morning all lanes go one direction. But in the evening they all go the opposite direction.

A dear friend recently shared how she misunderstood and turned the wrong direction on one of these streets. I’m not sure how people can think that horns are necessary when the driver is already facing three lanes of oncoming traffic, but they all seemed to think it was an excellent opportunity to make sure that theirs worked. She finally got turned back around without any damage, and with a very valuable lesson learned.

If you’re just visiting Chile, your current driver’s license (and passport) should be fine. You might check into the Latin American international driver’s license, but I’m not sure it’s really any help.

If you plan on applying for permanent residency, you’ll need to get a Chilean driver’s license. For those of us who are linguistically challenged when visiting Spanish speaking lessons, this has proven a great difficulty. This is because the tests are in Spanish only. In other words, you could get into a situation where you couldn’t legally drive here because you didn’t speak Spanish.

Well, we have some good news. As of December of this year (2014), “the official driving test in Chile will also be available in English.” Yes, you read that right. I didn’t even know this was a consideration, but it will certainly make life easier for a great many expats who just can’t seem to grasp Spanish well enough to engage in simple communication, not to mention the ability to take and pass a test.

Conaset made the announcement recently, stating:

You can also download the manual on the above page. With 165 pages, you’ll have some studying to do. Of course, much of it will be familiar. Pay special attention to the signage and directional laws. And look for things that may seem counter-intuitive for you, such as the fact that you’re not supposed to turn right on red unless permission to do so is expressly marked.  Those signs, of course, are in Spanish!

Happy driving expats!

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