Car hire Bolivia - Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

Book car rentals in Bolivia now!

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Bolivia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance:

Safety of Public Transportation: Poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor

Road conditions in Bolivia are extremely hazardous. Although the major population centers of La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba are connected by improved highways, less than five percent of all roads in Bolivia are paved. For trips outside the major cities, especially in mountainous areas, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is highly recommended. Travel during the rainy season (November through March) is extremely difficult, as most routes are potholed, and many roads and bridges are washed out. Added dangers are the lack of formal training for most drivers, lack of lights on speeding vehicles at night, and drunk or overly tired drivers, including commercial bus drivers. Fatal crashes, fender-benders, and car/pedestrian accidents are commonplace.

Drivers of vehicles involved in traffic accidents are expected to remain at the scene until the arrival of local police authorities. Any attempt to leave the scene would be in violation of Bolivian law and could place the driver and passengers at risk of physical harm. The Embassy is aware of three incidents in Santa Cruz during 2001 in which a vehicle involved in an accident was surrounded by local citizens who pounded on the sides of the vehicle and made threats against the American citizen driver. There have been no reports of actual physical attacks on drivers or passengers involved in accidents, although the potential does exist. The Embassy believes that any attempt to flee the scene of an accident will place the driver and passengers at greater risk of harm than remaining at the scene until the arrival of local police.

For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites , see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/road-safety.html .