Malaysia traffic rules and self driving car rental tips

Malaysia traffic rules and self driving car rental tips | QEEQ

The complete Malaysia driving and rental guide

High-quality roads and relatively cheap fuel price make Malaysia a pleasant country for a road trip. Travelling around Malaysia is facilitated by the fact that English is widely used in important public places, such as tourist attractions, airports, railway stations and immigration checkpoints. Here is a brief driving guide aiming at easing your mind when planning a trip to Malaysia.

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs
Driving in Malaysia is on the left, as road and cars follow the British system. Highways or expressways feature frequent resting areas with gas stations and restaurants. Driving in the country’s largest cities such as Kuala Lumpur can sometimes be challenging due to the dense traffic and one-way roads.
- Speed Limit
  There are speed limits of 110 km/h on expressways, 90 km/h on state and federal roads and 60 km/h in town areas.
- Traffic Signs
  There are three major types of traffic signs in Malaysia: warning, regulatory and information signs.
  
  Warning signs are diamond-shaped and feature yellow and black colours, with a few exceptions.
  Obstacles Ahead Climbing Lane Descent Lane Caution! Hump Level Crossing Without Gate Ahead Level Crossing With Gate Ahead Caution! Accident Area Sign
  Malaysian regulatory signs are usually circular with a white background, a red border, and black pictograms, and are sometimes written in Malay.
  Stop Sign
  Stop, Children Crossing Give way/Yield No Overtaking Speed Limit
  Malaysian information signs feature a square shape with various colour backgrounds.
  Hospital Clinic Rest and Service Area Information Centre
  You may refer to this comprehensive road signs of Malaysia.
Seatbelt and Child Safety
- Seatbelt Laws
  The driver and passengers sitting in the front or rear are required by law to wear a seatbelt.
- Booster Seat Laws
  All children must wear a seat belt when travelling in Malaysia and it is against the law for a child under 4 years of age to sit in the front seat. At present, children are not required by law to be seated in a child car seat. However, this is is expected to be compulsory by 2019.
Parking, Fuel and Toll
- Parking
  Parking areas are designated zones in Malaysia. Some parking areas are municipal and others are private. It is advisable to check with your hotel to see if there is a secure parking space in cities like Kuala Lumpur.
  
  · Forbidden Parking
  
  You cannot park your car in the following spaces. Failure to do so may result in a fine:
  
  - Specified by a ‘No-Parking’ sign with a red border, blue background and a red diagonal line, indicating this is a strict no parking area
  
  - With Single and double yellow lines at the side of the road.
  
  - On areas that are tow-away and clamping zones.
  (Image from veelzijdigmaleisie.nl)
  
  · Paid Parking
  
  Municipal parkings use metres and which need to be paid with coins. Coins accepted by parking metreers are 10 cents, 20 cents and 50 cents. Some municipal car parks do not have parking metres but collect the fee manually.
  (Image from media.themalaymailonline.com)
- Fuel Prices
  The average price for Malaysia gasoline during August to November 2017 is of 2.2 Malaysian Riggit per litre, while diesel average price is at 2.35.
- Toll
  Malay has abandoned cash as payment for tolls in expressways since the 14th of August 2017, and utilized Electronic Toll Collection(ETC). Touch 'n Go is the most used electronic payment options. You can purchase the Touch 'n Go Card at relevant hubs, selected petrol stations, selected PETRONAS Stations, LRT Stations and third party agents. Alternatively, you can buy one form the Touch 'n Go Sales Counters located at highways such as PLUS, ELITE, Ampang KL Elevated Highway, Penang Bridge, Besraya, SILK, Linkedua, New Pantai Expressway, Metramac and Shapadu.
  (Image from comparehero.my)
Traffic Violation
- DUI Laws
  A driver is considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol in Malaysia if the blood alcohol level is equal to or over 0.8 grams per litre (g/l). The penalty for the offender is a fine, a court case, or sentencing with a fine and imprisonment of three months to a year depending on the severity of the offence.
- Traffic Fines
  Incorrect parking or speeding in Malaysia frequently result in a fine.
  
  The speed penalties are given according to the difference of the driven speed and the enforced speed limit. Speed limit excess from 1 to 25 km/h will result in an RM80 fine, whereas an excess from 26 to 40 km/h will lead to an RM150 fine and an excess over 40 km/h will trigger an RM300 fine.
  
  To avoid parking fine, always look for parking metres when you have found a parking spot. Fines for failing to display a ticket in a regulated parking bay or car park are issued and collected by the Municipal Council or company responsible for the parking facility. Note that your parking or speeding fines will be collected by the car hire company and debited from your credit card if you fail to pay one. You are always welcomed to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service for help in if you have any questions concerning this matter.
Driving Licence and Age Requirements
Foreigners on short term visit may rent a car and drive with a valid foreign driving licence in Malaysia. The licence should be a full driving licence held for at least 2 years with no major endorsement.

The minimum driving age in Malaysia is 21 years, but driving age may vary by car category. Each car hire company has its own age requirements.
Read more details

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Guest reviews

ASIA CAR
9.7 - "Car is very well spacious. Need to remodel the car to the newest model"
Samavest
7 - "Upgraded to Myvi car. Car is old and noisy engine. Front glass is tinted too much. vision is not clear at night."
Samavest
10 - "Very good service, must avail"
SURIA
7.7 - "When I arrived at KLIA2, I called and a staff member came to pick me up at the arrival gate. A message about the lending procedure was sent to my smartphone the day before, and it was easy to understand."
SURIA
7.3 - "They don't have an office at the airport, but when I called they responded immediately. The return process went smoothly, although it was in the airport parking lot outside of the office's business hours. The car was a Toyota VIOS with over 80,000 km on it. There were some minor scratches on the exterior, and the interior was not necessarily clean, but there was plenty of luggage space and cabin space, and the car ran smoothly without any trouble."
Samavest
8.3 - "Great customer service by the lady who assisted us. She was very helpful and even offered a holder for the phone which we can use while driving."
Keddy by Europcar
8 - "The car we got was the make and model we booked. Though the car was a bit not so perfect in both internal and external condition, safety and reliability were satisfactory. No extra insurance was sold to us over the counter after I showed them my AXA additional cover that I bought together in my booking."
Samavest
9.7 - "Thank you very much"
ASIA CAR
7.7 - "For this round the booking car was a bit old. So, it would be advice to make sure the rental car could be newer or at least looks nicer."
SURIA
10 - "This is my 2nd time using this service from Suria. Their staff is friendly and professional. They deliver the car to us and we collected it right at the pick up lobby of the airport. Very easy and convenient. Car is clean too. No complain at all!"
Samavest
9.7 - "The agent at collection gave excellent service, thoroughly checking the car for damage by using a video and gave advice on parking and petrol stations on the island. Easy handover at the end. "
Gosocar
9 - "Though the one I rent was not the foreign brand performance car but it was reliable and everything worked fine for my 5 days rental. Fast and good information provided before pick up and return."
PARADISE
6.7 - "Pick up location was confirmed the day before but was changed 15mins before time. We had to divert our taxi, it was complicated as we did not know the area. The car was very scratched and appeared very old with 156,000 kms on the clock. It was heavy to drive and consumed far too much petrol for the kms we did. It sounded like the exhaust was needing a repair and the indicators for change of direction did not work properly all the time."
KK Rent A Car
8 - "It would be good if the company can practice the credit card deposit on hold rather than having cash equivalent as holding deposit."
Europcar
9.3 - "Car was generally well-maintained and also came with a child seat as requested. Pick up and drop off process were very smooth and seamless. Overall a good experience."
Samavest
3.7 - "返却時にスタッフから「フロントバンパーに新しいキズが付いている。貸し出す前には付いてなかった」と言われ、スタッフが貸し出す前に撮った時言う写真には傷がついてませんでした。ただし私たちも借りる前に写真を撮っており、そこには傷が付いてなかったはずですが通信環境が悪く写真をすぐに見せることができませんでした。しばらくたつとスタッフの人は小さな傷だから大丈夫と言い手続きが終了しました。ただしその後私たちが撮った写真を通信環境のよいところで見たらキズは最初から付いてました。スタッフが見せた写真は貸し出す直前のものではなく、かなり前の写真だと思い、危うく騙されるところでした。おそらくスタッフは意図的に騙そうとしてます。二度と借りません。とても不愉快な思いをしました。"
Gosocar
8.7 - "受け取り場所がわかりませんでしたが、スタッフの方から電話を頂きスムーズでした。とても素晴らしいスタッフでした！ thanks! Ferid "
SEIYON
10 - "Recommended car rental in malaysia"
Samavest
10 - "Excellent and efficient service"
SEIYON
10 - "Very good. Service good. The branch is easy to find. We got free upgrade and it's a newwww car! The rental process is easy and fast. Everything is smooth. Niceeeee!"
SURIA
9 - "Very friendly and helpful staff"
SEIYON
10 - "New and clean car. Staff was very helpful."
ASIA CAR
8 - "We got the make and model that we ordered and provide WhatsApp support in case you got any query and support during the rental period."
Hawk
8 - "Pickup counter is located at KLIA Terminal 1, but it was not clear on the Voucher. We had to figure out after reaching there that we need to travel to T1 using bus to pick-up. Took ~25-30mins to reach, and another 25-30mins for car pickup. The car provided was old, didnt have Apple Car Play or Android Auto."
Langkawi Tropical
9 - "We were greeted at the airport arrivals exit with a clear sign and a smile. Walked to our vehicle close by and the formalities were clear and quick. The agent was completely flexible about our drop off point and provided helpfull information about various parking restrictions in addition to giving us some parking vouchers. Though the car was not new, it was fit for purpose and the service was possibly the best we have had from years of car rentals. "
SURIA
9 - "Good service"
SURIA
10 - "excellent, easy to pick up"
SURIA
9.7 - "事前にwechatでの連絡先の情報があり、到着時間やピックアップ、返却後の送りについてもコミュニケーションが取れていましたので、とてもスムーズでした。スタッフの方も笑顔でとても印象が良かったです。"
Agtran
9.7 - "Very smooth for changing pick up points"
Agtran
10 - "Good stuff and service! It was a good shop anyway "
Samavest
10 - "Fast pick up, friendly staff "
Agtran
9.3 - "決して綺麗な車ではないですが、車内は広く、運転しやすかった。 "
Sea Safari
9.3 - "空港での車の受け渡し時に携帯電話の通信が上手く行かずに上手くチャットでやり取り出来なかったが、なんとか係の方と引き合いが出来て無事に受け渡しできました。返却について、空港で無くホテルで返却しましたが全く問題ありませんでした。"
Samavest
10 - "Friendly staff, vehicle in good condition. Value for money. "
Keddy by Europcar
10 - "all very smooth"
ASIA CAR
10 - "Staff are very friendly and accommodating, our flight were late, they were able to pick us up and take us to KLIA1 to pick up the vehicle. Drop off process are easy to follow, will definitely rent from them again."
ASIA CAR
10 - "Stuff are very friendly and professional, pickup process was easy and drop off process are even easier."
Samavest
8.7 - "Excellent customer service - I highly recommend them"
Keddy by Europcar
9 - "Very good service however I can’t get the selected car model. Anyway I experienced the wonderful journey."
Samavest
10 - "Nice service *****"
Keddy by Europcar
9.3 - "The car given to me was an upgrade from a Proton Persona to a Nissan Almere. Power and handling was lacking but it was good enough for a point to point car. "
SURIA
10 - "The staff are friendly and guided me thru. Car is in good condition. They answered each of questions patiently and explained clearly. Will definitely recommend others."
ASIA CAR
9.7 - "Good information about getting around within the city. Easy pick up and drop off"
Merge Car Rental
8.7 - "車がアップグレードされていた。ただ、貸与会社が、MERGEではなく、そこから委託を受けていると思われる現地ツアー会社であった。"
ASIA CAR
8 - "The car was about average, roughly 2-3 years old but with relatively high mileage. Interior was clean and the drive's fairly smooth, but the engine was a bit noisy (have driven many Civics before). There were also many scratches around the body and rims. Considering the amount paid for this car/category, we weren't too happy given the above. We had expected for a newer or better maintained car. Hope to see improvements in the future."
Samavest
7 - "The car condition was very poor. The seats were torn, the foam was coming out, there were lot of vibrations and noises in the car. The process was smooth but the car condition was in itself in a very bad shape."
Merge Car Rental
10 - "Mr Azuan is awesome. He contacted me 2 weeks before my trip. He was very clear on the steps and procedures. The car was superb. It was super clean and in superb condition. Fresh out of the oven."
Samavest
8 - "Car brakes failed completely halfway throughout the trip and I had to make an emergency stop. Replacement was driven to me quickly "
Samavest
10 - "The car was in an excellent condition. Staff were also helpful and assisted in loading our luggage in the car. "
SURIA
9.7 - "Although Suria doesn’t have a service desk at the airport, their customer service staff was very prompt in responding and meet onsite within minutes of contact. The car provided was also in very good condition."

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Frequently asked questions

Q1.What is an insurance excess？
The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage(under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft(under Theft Protection) of the vehicle.
Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.
Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?
You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental.
Please note that the same licence and age requirement applys to the additonal driver. The addtional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.
Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?
QEEQ will show you the car offers available at your chosen time on the search results.
However, pick-up or drop-off out of general opening hours may subject to an extra fee unless self-service pick-up or drop-off is available.
After you reserve a car on QEEQ, we will inform you of specific policy of the car hire company by email.
Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?
If you want to pick up your car in one country and drop it in another, your search results will show you cars you can do that with.
If you're planning to cross any borders during your trip, bear in mind:
1. You may have to pay more.
There are often extra fees, taxes or additional cover you'll pay at the car hire counter.
2.It may not be allowed.
Depending on where you're hiring, you may not be able to take your car to another country.
Please email us if you want to take your hire car into a different country during your trip, and we'll talk you through your options.
Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?
Yes. You can pick up the vehicle in one place and drop it off in another. An ‘one-way fee’ will incur. Whether it is inclued in the rental price or what additional cost may arise will be clearly stated at the time of booking on QEEQ.
Please inform the car hire company of your drop-off location when you pick up the vehicle or contact them directly during your trip. You will find a phone number on the rental agreement you signed at pickup.