Cheap car hire in Haiti - Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

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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 Haiti is provided for general reference only, and it may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

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

Driving in Haiti should be undertaken with extreme caution. It is often preferable for those with no knowledge of Haitian roads and traffic customs to hire a driver. This can generally be accomplished through local hotels. Those who do drive in Haiti should be conservative in their actions, avoid confrontations such as jockeying for position, and remain aware of the vehicles around them. Drivers should carry the phone numbers of people to call for assistance in an emergency because the Haitian government is unlikely to respond to requests for assistance. When travelling outside of Port-au-Prince, drivers should caravan with multiple vehicles; in case a problem occurs with one car, another will be available.

The Haitian government lacks adequate resources to assist drivers in distress or to clear the road of accidents or broken-down vehicles blocking the flow of traffic. Public transportation as it is usually defined does not exist in Haiti. While Haitians use buses, "taptaps" and taxis, (which may observe regular routes much like public transportation), none of these should be considered reliable. The Embassy strongly discourages their use.

Speeding is the cause of many of the fatal traffic accidents in Haiti, as are overloaded vehicles on winding, mountainous roads and vehicles without brakes. Poor maintenance and mechanical failures often cause accidents as well. Drivers should be particularly cautious at night, because unlighted vehicles can appear seemingly from nowhere.

As neither written nor driving tests are required to qualify for driver's licenses, road laws are not generally known or applied. Signaling imminent actions is not widely practiced, and not all drivers use turn indicators or international hand signals properly. For instance, many drivers use their left blinker for all actions, including turning right and stopping in the road, and others flap their left arm out the window to indicate that they will be taking an unspecified action. Drivers do not always verify that the road is clear before switching lanes, turning, or merging.

The situation on the roads can be described as chaotic at best. Roads are generally unmarked, and detailed, accurate maps are not widely available. The lack of organization on the roads causes drivers to execute unpredictable and dangerous maneuvers in order to turn or merge into traffic.

Traffic is extremely heavy in urban areas, and hours-long traffic jams develop throughout the country. Cars are supposed to be driven on the right side of the road in Haiti. Few roads have lane indicators, however, and drivers use whatever part of the road is open to them, even if it is not the correct side of the road. Speed limits are seldom posted, and they are not widely known or observed.

In addition to vehicles, a variety of other objects may appear on the road in Haiti, such as wooden carts dragged by people, small ice cream carts, animals, mechanics with vehicles, and even vendors and their wares. Vehicles are often abandoned in the road or by the side of the road. There are few marked crosswalks and sidewalks, and pedestrians often wind their way through traffic in urban areas.

Right of way is not widely observed in Haiti, and there are few operational traffic lights or traffic signs. It is advisable at most intersections to stop and verify that there is no oncoming traffic even if it appears that you have the right of way. Drivers can be quite aggressive and will seldom yield. Walls built to the edge of roads frequently make it impossible to see around corners, forcing drivers to edge their cars into the road at intersections to check for oncoming traffic. Drinking and driving is illegal in Haiti, but people do drive after drinking, as there is no alternative transportation.

For additional information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, please see the Bureau of Consular Affairs' home page at http://travel.state.gov/road-safety.html. For specific information concerning driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance in Haiti, please contact the Haitian Ministry of Tourism by email at info@haititourisme.org or on the Internet at http://www.haititourisme.org/.