South African Driving Culture

• Posted by: Editor
• On: 08/08/2008 15:23:43
• In: South Africa Car Hire

Tips to remember about South African Driving Culture:
South African drivers are known for driving at excessive speeds and rarely use indicators in a predictable way. They are also known for very aggressive driving which manifests itself with a lot of tailgating and honking of their horns. If you just drive defensively you should be fine.

As is customary in some other countries, if a car/truck pulls in to the hard shoulder to let you pass easier, it is expected that you flash your hazards to thank the other driver for letting you pass; they may flash their own headlights in response.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest road traffic fatalities so you will have to be extra careful. With this in mind it is best to avoid driving at night, as you may encounter other cars that don’t have functional lights. In rural areas you may find farmers moving their herds across the roads; and of course there may be wild animals who wander onto the roads and the bigger animals can cause quite a lot of damage to a car.

In urban areas when driving at night it is recommended that you be careful when stopping at traffic lights as this is a popular place for smash and grab robberies or even car hijackings. With this in mind it is also recommended you don’t keep any valuables visible in the car.

Hopefully this brief introduction into South African Driving Culture will aid you on your trip to this wonderful country. If you have decided that driving around South Africa is what you want to do then why not have a look at our car rental South Africa options? For more about driving in South Africa why not check out our other South Africa blogs and make your holiday to South Africa an even more unforgettable one.

If you still have some unanswered questions please ask us and we will do our best to answer them?