Driving in Mexico

Mexico is a great country and it fills up with tourists quickly. Many of these visitors do so by ground, driving in; or they come in by plane and rent a vehicle in the country. Driving in Mexico is a little different from the US and/ or Canada but for the most part the technical side of driving is similar. If you plan on driving in Mexico there are a number of things you are going to want to remember. Here is a short ‘driving guide for Mexico'

Mexican auto insurance is a must! If you plan on driving in Mexico but don’t plan on purchasing Mexican Auto insurance then you are making a huge mistake! Most Mexican authorities won’t count your United States insurance plan as valid, unless you make special arrangements ahead of time so you have international coverage. You want to be sure that you are going to be insured every time you cross the Mexico border! Part of this is because there is no drinking and driving restriction like here in the States!

All roads are not built equal! In the United States a driver knows what to expect when they go out on a drive, whether on the Interstate or just down the roads. All public roads are built by the government and have to hit certain standards- not so in Mexico! As a driver you have to be aware that you won’t always have great road conditions and the road may turn bad within seconds!

Try to drive during daylight only! If you can try to keep you’re driving for light because road signs and road hazards are easier to see during the daytime. Sure, it is wise to drive during the day anywhere in the world, but with unpredictable Mexican road signs you should be especially aware.

Be aware of livestock! This is something most drivers are not used to doing- watching for livestock! Because there isn’t a lot of fencing around fields in Mexico, livestock often wander across busy roads and even highways! A pretty good chunk of all accidents in Mexico occur because of livestock. Just keep this in mind and keep your eyes open for any cows or bulls walking around!

Be a defensive driver! Yes, you may think you have the right away in a particular situation but if the other driver doesn’t care, well it doesn’t matter then huh?! In Mexico not everyone follows the same driving rules and there aren’t nearly as many people regulated for their behavior. Along with being a defensive driver you should know that pretty much no one uses turn signals in Mexico. Drive slow, careful and never follow too close, and always make sure to have auto insurance.

The biggest thing to driving in Mexico is planning your trip out early and having routes and schedules already to go. If you know where you are going and what roads to take, you’ll be fine and you’ll have a much better chance of staying safe and getting places quicker.

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