Driving in South AfricaDriving in South Africa is not more dangerous than driving in Paris or Rome. The major roads are well maintained and the traffic is quite easy to manage, especially on the highways out of town.There are several transport options you can consider when coming to South Africa, however driving your own car is the most flexible and independent way to travel in this big country.
About your Transport Options in Cape Town South Africa Driving in the cities like Cape Town or Johannesburg is not really difficult, but you will have to adjust to the South African Driving Style.
There are certain rules you have to observe and you will quickly drive with the flow. Be street smart! Read my Driving Tips for South Africa. If you are looking to rent a car while in Cape Town South Africa, then you should be well prepared for some pitfalls. Therefore get acquainted with some car rental practises in South Africa. Read my
Cape Town Car Rental Tips
You are staying in South Africa for longer? Should you want to get more practice driving, maybe you are coming from the other parts of the world and think here you are driving on the wrong side or you just need to plug up a little more courage facing the South African drivers, then how about you take some lessons with a reputable driving school? South Africa Road ConditionsThe Road Conditions and the infrastructure in South Africa are comparable in the major cities with those in many cosmopolitan cities around the globe.However you will find rough surfaces and lots of roadworks to improve the infrastructure countrywide. To be up to date about major road closures or roadworks check the official website of the South African National Roads Agency which is updated regularly. South African Car InsuranceAlways consider taking out comprehensive car insurance when driving in South Africa. Your rental company will recommend this and so do I, no matter if you rent a car or have got your own car. Accidents can happen and then you do not want to worry about how to pay the damage.Take out a comprehensive insurance, as car insurance still is not compulsory when driving in South Africa. This way, should bad come to worse, you definitely do not want to get stuck with costs for repairs to your car when somebody else damages it in an accident but is not able to pay your damages. Shop around for quotes as the differences in annual payments can be quite substantial. Some of the insurers offer discounts if you take out a house contents insurance and a car insurance at the same time. Road AssistanceMany car insurances also offer road assistance. To take out a cover for any eventuality of a breakdown of your car on the road, is highly advisable in South Africa too. Bring you membership of your Automobile Club from home and get a discount when registering as a new member at the local AA.If travelling in Cape Town as a tourist with a rented car make sure you will get road assistance with your rental contract and get an emergency number from the rental company. Also in South Africa there are tow trucks waiting at more dangerous traffic crossings lurking for soon-to-be customers. These “kind” offers of help are however often horrendously expensive. Their service is much more expensive than a normal Automobile Association (AA) recovery vehicle would charge. Traffic fines: Speeding in South AfricaThis topic is often discussed in South Africa, as notorious speeding seems often not to be prosecuted vigorously enough. However there are speed traps and regular speed checks visible as well as traffic police cars patrolling the busy roads.In South Africa traffic offenses get pursued as in any other country in the world. Should you forget paying the first notice, then you will get a second one, after that you will get invited to stand in court. But there is not yet a nationwide points system established as is in Germany or like traffice registers in the UK and the USA. There is however a pilot project currently running in Pretoria/Tshwane and another one being implemented in Johannesburg. To know more about the speed limits in South Africa, refer to my South African driving tips. South African Blood Alcohol LimitsAlcohol and Driving do not go together, so do not drink and drive. The consequences can be fatal and traffic offenses under the influence of alcohol are prosecuted vigorously. If you touch a drink before driving, know your limits:The legal blood-alcohol limit in South Africa is at 0.05g/100ml. For professional driver the limit is at 0.02g/100ml. Driving in South Africa: Special Precautions• Beware that Saturday nights are the most dangerous nights on the South African roads too. Especially be extra careful when approaching traffic intersections as some drivers jump red lights at night.• Read my special Safety Tips when Driving in South Africa. • Beware of pedestrians crossing the roads, even multi-lane highways at any time of the day. You should know that some South Africans do not hesitate to cross or walk along even very busy traffic sections. • Read my info on car hijackings in South Africa. • Beware wildlife crossing the roads especially at dusk and dawn, as well as sheep, goats or cows grazing along the roads outside of town. Driving in Cape TownDo you want to read more about Driving in Cape Town with more up-to-date information on the Cape Town transport options and information on public transport in Cape Town , then go to these special pages.Any other questions or suggestions regarding Driving in South Africa? Any tips to share? Please contact me.
Have a safe journey!
Return from Driving in South Africa to ExpatCapeTown Homepage
|
Subscribe to your FREE monthly ExpatCapeTown Newsletter here:
