Riding in cars with Turks

Whilst researching for my psych paper, I came across the U.S. Embassy's guidelines for driving in Ankara, Turkey. Some excerpts:

- Drive defensively, defensively, defensively
- Expect the unexpected.
- Drive each day as though you were on a mission, the goal of which is not to be involved in an accident, cause an accident, or strike a pedestrian.
- Watch out for trucks and buses that take the right-of-way without signaling, whether they are entitled to it or not.
- Assume nothing. Make no assumptions about what another driver may do or how they will react in a situation.
- If confronted by another driver, stay in your car, lock the doors, and use your cell phone to call the police.

Common hazards in Turkey:
- Pedestrians walking or running in front of vehicles to cross streets and main highways, oblivious to oncoming traffic.
- Inattentive drivers.
- Unskilled drivers.
- Vehicles with faulty brakes.
- Unlit tractors, horsecarts and farm vehicles traveling on highways at slow speed.
- In the countryside accidents, breakdowns, and road work areas marked by stones rather than warning signs.
- Vehicles reversing on exit ramps and on main highways.
- In the countryside, herds of sheep, goats and other animals on roads.
- Driving in the middle of the road and not yielding.
- Dangerous or destructive potholes.

Here's a taxi safety tip: Always ride in the rear of a taxi, never in the front. In the event of an accident, the risk of serious injury is generally reduced by more than 50% for those in the back.

I'd say never go driving in Turkey, but apparently the pedestrians have an incredibly high accident rate as well.