Driving in Mexico: What you should know as a self-driver

Is it save to drive in Mexico?

There are also very remote areas, for example in Chiapas, where it is common to “ask” for a toll. Basically, our advice is: Do not drive at night and also not in completely remote areas.

Make sure that your rental car in Mexico is in a perfect condition! This may save you a lot of trouble. You should also always have enough petrol in your tank.

The mobile phone should always be charged. However, in remote areas it is quite possible that there is no network. Only in the larger cities will be sufficient coverage again.

You don’t want to drive in Mexico yourself? We would be happy to do it for you. Please check our offers for Riviera Maya private excursions or Yucatan tours.

Rental cars in Mexico – where to book

Very important: The rental car insurance included in credit cards is not valid in Mexico. Good insurance is therefore crucial for your car reservation. The best protection is fully comprehensive insurance without a deductibles.

Web pages offer good comparisons for prices and services. RentalsCars is one of these portals. The web site compares prices and services of individual providers and has an excellent overview. It is usually cheaper to book the rental car from home.

Driving in Mexico is relatively easy. Right-hand traffic is the same as in the US. Outside the cities, streets are pretty empty and you can comfortably drive along the well-developed country roads.

Driving in Mexico: Accommodations

Driving in Mexico: Gasoline and petrol stations

However, there are few petrol stations in rural areas. There, on the countryside, you should always travel with a full tank. Even though gasoline may sometimes be more expensive there, an empty tank is not advisable in the remote areas.

You are usually served at petrol stations. There are two types of petrol, the green Magna and the more expensive red Premium. The payment goes directly to the gas station attendant. Since these jobs are not well paid, you may consider leaving a tip. 10 pesos is acceptable. If other work has been done, such as checking the air pressure, it may be a little more.

Driving license

Driving in Mexico: Police

In the event of offenses such as incorrect parking, the license plate is unscrewed and retained. It can be picked up the next day at the police station, if you pay the penalty. These administrative procedures are time-consuming and an unnecessary delay of the trip.

If you are stopped by the police in Mexico, first let them show you the exact evidence, they have against you. If you beieve there is no criminal offense, you can calmly explain to the police officer that you have acted in accordance with the regulations. Do not get involved in inaccurate discussions (for example, you drove between 30 and 60 km / h).

Sometimes the cops let you go when they realize they have no evidence. However, if you have actually driven too fast, you will probably pay the local police officer, the penalty should not exceed 500 pesos (approx. 25 dollars).

Driving in Mexico: Parking

Driving in Mexico: Toll Roads

Depending on the tour you have planned for a day, you can also avoid the toll roads. Free country roads are called “libre” (free).

Driving in Mexico: Topes

The rules for topes outside the cities are: All towns you pass use topes to calm traffic,especially in front of schools or kindergardens. Therefore, in the villages you may drive at a greatly reduced speed.

Driving in Mexico: Knowledge of Spanish

Especially those who want to have a chat with locals, Spanish skills can help a lot. If you do not speak any Spanish, our private tour guides are a good alternative for you (contact us). They provide you with the necessary security and are happy to translate if you do not understand.

Driving in Mexico: Payments

Summary

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