Safe Driving While in Mexico

This is just a quick list of some things that you should do before you travel to Mexico.
•    Double check to make sure that your vehicle registration and driver’s license are valid, because your vehicle may be impounded if not.
•    Purchase Mexican car insurance or check to make sure that it is current.
•    Have two copies of your Mexican car insurance certificate.  One is to keep in your wallet or purse and the other to keep in the car.
•    Do the same thing with your vehicle registration.  You should keep the copy in your car or truck and the original in your wallet or purse.  Do this in the case that the vehicle is stolen, because it will make it much easier for you to prove that you own it.
I have also included a list of ten things that you should keep in mind while driving in Mexico.  Remember that you are a guest in a foreign country, and that they will have different laws and customs.  Remember that old saying about doing what the Roman do when you’re in Rome.  Well, it applies to Mexico too.
•    Just like in the United States traffic laws are different and vary from state to state.
•    Request a written ticket from police officers in Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada and Mexicali because you can send your fine in the mail from the United States.
•    All speed limits signs are posted in kilometers and 1 mile is equal to 1.6 kilometers.
•    Stop on yellow.  All yellow lights are a signal to stop and not just to slow down.
•    No right on red.  You will see drivers doing it, but it is illegal and you can get fines.
•    There is no so called fast lane.  That empty lane to the left is a passing lane only, and you should move back over once you pass.
•    You don’t have much time to merge lanes.
•    There may be little warning for construction sites.
•    Don’t drive and talk on the phone; it is illegal.
•    Watch those cross walks.  Pedestrians have the right-of-way.
•    Everything is closer, and people will drive closer together.
•    Don’t automatically expect the car in front of you to have functioning brake lights.
•    Watch very closely for obstacles, animals, and people.
•    Do everything possible to avoid driving at night.
•    Green service trucks are good.  They are the Green Angels or “Angeles Verdes,” and they patrol the toll roads to offer free roadside assistance to travelers.
One more quick reminder is that you need to purchase Mexican car insurance before the trip.  It is really a quick and painless process, and is not expensive.  The last thing that I would say is to really enjoy your vacation, and to take lots of pictures, because the vacation may last a week or two, but the memories will last a lifetime.