9 “First Time Driving in Arizona” Mistakes Tourists Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Driving in Arizona is usually easy—wide roads, big skies, and plenty of sunshine. But “easy” can turn into “why is this happening?” pretty fast if you’re visiting for the first time. Between desert heat, unfamiliar road habits, and a few local quirks, tourists tend to repeat the same mistakes again and again.

Here are nine common “first-time driving in Arizona” slip-ups—and exactly how to avoid them so your trip stays fun (and stress-free).

1) Underestimating the desert heat (and what it does to your day)

Arizona sunshine is not the same as sunshine back home. The heat can drain you faster than expected, especially if you’re hopping between outdoor stops or walking around in Old Town.

Avoid it: Start earlier, plan midday breaks indoors, and always keep water in the car. If you’re driving out to viewpoints or trailheads, bring more water than you think you’ll need.

2) Leaving drinks, phones, or sunscreen in the car

Tourists often toss a phone on the seat, leave a bottled drink in the cupholder, or stash sunscreen in the glove box. In summer, the car can get hot enough to damage electronics and turn everyday items into a mess (or a hazard).

Avoid it: Take electronics with you, keep sunscreen in a bag, and don’t leave pressurized cans or plastics baking in direct sun.

3) Not fueling up before heading out of town

Within Scottsdale and Phoenix, gas stations are everywhere. But once you head toward desert drives, lake areas, or more remote scenic routes, your “I’ll fill up later” plan can get annoying fast.

Avoid it: Make “half tank = time to fill up” your rule before leaving the city. If you’re planning a longer drive, top off before you go—especially at night.

4) Treating distances like they’re small because the map looks simple

Arizona’s layout can fool visitors. Everything seems close because highways are straight and the landscape is open—but travel times add up quickly, and you don’t want to realize you’re 45 minutes from dinner when you thought it was 15.

Avoid it: Always check real drive times (not just miles), and build buffer time for parking, stops, and traffic around peak hours.

5) Speeding without realizing how fast you’re going

Wide, smooth roads make it easy to drift above the limit without noticing—especially if you’re used to slower city driving. Tourists often get surprised by how quickly “keeping up” becomes “oops.”

Avoid it: Use cruise control on longer stretches and set a gentle reminder for yourself. Also, slow down in school zones and residential areas—they’re enforced.

6) Assuming every road behaves like a grid (and missing key turns)

Phoenix metro has a lot of grid-style streets, but Scottsdale and the surrounding areas include curving parkways, roundabouts, and “this road becomes that road” moments that confuse first-timers.

Avoid it: Don’t multitask. Follow navigation closely and commit to safe reroutes if you miss a turn. Trying to “fix it fast” is how tourists end up doing abrupt lane changes.

7) Getting caught off-guard by aggressive U-turns and wide right turns

Arizona drivers are generally friendly, but the road style is wide and fast-moving. Tourists sometimes panic at wide turns, quick U-turn lanes, or multi-lane intersections where everyone seems confident.

Avoid it: Stay in the lane you need early, signal earlier than you think, and don’t feel pressured. If you miss your lane, continue straight and let GPS reroute—no hero moves.

8) Not understanding desert driving etiquette (wildlife, dust, and night visibility)

Desert roads can feel empty—until they aren’t. Visitors don’t always think about wildlife at dusk, sudden dust gusts, or how dark some areas get at night.

Avoid it:

• Be extra alert at dawn and dusk.
• Use headlights earlier than you normally would.
• If visibility drops in dust, slow down smoothly and increase following distance.
  And if you’re heading into less-lit areas, avoid staring at oncoming headlights—let your eyes adjust.

9) Overplanning the day—and turning driving into a sprint

This is the big one. Tourists often try to stack too many stops into one day: breakfast here, hike there, museum, shopping, dinner, then sunset. The result is rushed driving, parking stress, and that “we’re late again” feeling.

Avoid it: Choose a realistic pace: two major anchors (like a morning activity and an evening plan), plus flexible filler in between. If you’re coordinating transportation logistics, finding a reliable Scottsdale car rental partner can help simplify the flow so you’re not constantly recalculating how to get from place to place.

A simple Arizona driving game plan

If you want the “locals” approach, it’s basically this:

• Start early, rest midday, go out again in the evening.
• Hydrate constantly and don’t leave heat-sensitive items in the car.
• Give yourself buffer time—for parking, photos, and spontaneous stops.
• Drive calmly, reroute safely, and avoid last-second lane changes.

Arizona rewards unhurried driving. When you’re not stressed behind the wheel, the whole trip feels smoother—and you’ll actually notice what you came for: the scenery, the sunshine, and the kind of wide-open views you can’t get anywhere else.