Renting a car is still the best way to see Iceland properly. You set the pace, you choose the stops, and the roads take you places a tour bus never will. That said, conditions here can turn on you fast — weather shifts without warning, and roads that look fine on a map can be something else entirely in person.
This article covers what you need to know before you drive. For budget car rental options, click here. For road trips and self-drive tours, visit this link.
Stay Updated on Weather Conditions
Check the weather before you go anywhere. The Icelandic Met Office website is the one to use. Bookmark it on your phone and get into the habit of opening it each morning.
High wind warnings, rain alerts, and snow advisories come out frequently through autumn, winter, and early spring. Take them seriously. If the advice is to stay off the roads, stay off the roads — winds here have been strong enough to shatter car windows. Conditions can change within minutes, so checking the forecast once in the morning isn’t enough. Dip back in during the day too.
The same site shows Aurora forecasts and current seismic activity around the country, which is handy to have in one place.
Monitor Road Conditions Regularly
The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration site is the other one to keep on hand. It gives you up-to-date road conditions across the whole country, including the Highlands and unpaved routes.
The homepage has a colour-coded map broken down by region. Click the area you’re heading to and read the detail. Red means avoid. There are also road webcams where you can see live conditions — I’ve relied on these a lot in winter after heavy snowfall, when the difference between one route and another can be significant.
Consider Registering Your Travel Plans with Safetravel.is
Safetravel.is is worth a proper look before you travel. You can register your plans directly with the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue from the homepage, and you can switch on Trip Monitoring for an added layer of safety. Knowing someone has your itinerary makes a real difference in remote areas.
There’s a mobile app for both iOS and Android. It has a large red button that calls emergency services directly, and it logs your last five locations — information that could be critical if a rescue team needs to find you. The site makes a point of saying: you are not inconveniencing anyone by using this service.
The app also has driving tips, videos, and information covering everything from camping to kayaking. Spend ten minutes with it before you arrive. It’s one of those resources you hope you never need but will be glad you know about.
Avoid Driving in Unauthorized Areas
This one sounds obvious, but it needs saying. Stick to roads you’re permitted to use. Those tempting side tracks often lead to farm roads or unmaintained paths that aren’t suitable for a rental car — and in bad weather, even main routes can become hazardous. If you want to go off the beaten track, go with an experienced guide.
Beaches and fields are off-limits too, regardless of what a photo opportunity looks like from the road. Driving on them damages fragile vegetation that can take decades to recover. Park in a designated spot, walk to where you want to shoot, and get the picture that way.
Be Cautious When Stopping for Photographs
Iceland’s scenery will make you want to pull over constantly. That’s understandable. But stopping on the road — or even half on the road — to take a photo is genuinely dangerous, and I can’t stress this enough.
The roads feel quieter than what most visitors are used to, but traffic has grown considerably over the years. Growing up in the 80s, I could drive along Route 1 for an hour without passing another vehicle. That’s not Iceland anymore.
What looks like an empty stretch can fill up with tour buses and cargo trucks in minutes, and anything blocking the road forces them to slow or stop suddenly. This isn’t a minor inconvenience — people have died because of vehicles stopped for photographs.
Pull off the road completely at a designated stopping area before you get out of the car. They’re common throughout the country; you won’t have to look far. Just don’t rush the shot before you’ve parked properly.
This is one of those things that’s becoming more urgent every year, not less.
In Conclusion
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I hope this is useful. None of these checks take long — a few minutes each day — and together they make a real difference to how safely your trip unfolds. Iceland rewards the people who prepare for it.
If something goes wrong, the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue will be there. It’s worth knowing that they are a volunteer organisation that runs entirely on donations. When someone gets stuck in a snowdrift because they skipped the road condition check, it’s volunteers giving up their time — and often taking personal risks — who respond.
If you can, consider making a donation to the organisation during your visit. It would mean a lot.
For more insights, feel free to explore my additional blog posts on my Guide to Iceland page or visit my website.
