Cheap car rentals Indonesia - 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 Indonesia 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: Good to Fair
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Fair to Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor to Non-existent

In general, traffic in Indonesia is congested and undisciplined. The number and variety of vehicles on the road far exceed the capacity of existing roadways to handle the traffic. Road conditions vary from good (in the case of toll roads and major city roads) to dangerously poor.

Generally, awareness of road safety awareness is very low in Indonesia, although it is increasing. Buses and trucks are often dangerously overloaded and tend to travel at high speeds. Most roads outside major urban areas have a single lane of traffic in each direction, making passing dangerous. Most Indonesian drivers do not maintain a safe following distance in a manner familiar to U.S. drivers and tend to pass or maneuver with considerably less margin for error than in the United States. Although traffic in Indonesia moves on the left side of the road, drivers tend to pass on both sides and may use the shoulder for this purpose. It is common for drivers to create extra lanes regardless of the lane markings painted on the roads. Throughout the country, motor vehicles share the roads with other forms of transportation such as bicycle pedicabs, horse and ox carts, and pushcarts.

Although Indonesia has a seat belt law requiring the use of seat belts in front seats, most Indonesian automobiles do not have seat belts in the rear passenger seats. The use of infant and child car seats is not common, and it can be very difficult to rent a car seat for temporary use. Helmets are required on motorcycles, but this law is inconsistently enforced. Passengers rarely wear helmets. Accidents on rented motorcycles constitute the largest cause of death and serious accident among foreign visitors to Bali.

Expatriates and upper class Indonesians often use professional drivers. All car rental firms provide drivers for a nominal additional fee.

Driving at night can be extremely dangerous outside of major urban areas. Drivers often refuse to use their lights, and most rural roads are unlit. Sometimes, residents in rural areas use road surfaces as public gathering areas, congregating on them after dark. At least one American citizen was involved in a fatal accident when his car hit a group lying on an unlit stretch of road.

When an accident occurs, Indonesian law requires both drivers to await the arrival of a police officer to report the accident. Although Indonesian law requires third party insurance, most Indonesian drivers are uninsured, and even when a vehicle is insured, it is common for insurance companies to refuse to pay damages. If a pedestrian is injured, the driver of the vehicle is normally expected to assist in transporting the injured party to the hospital because Indonesian ambulance services are unreliable. In cases of traffic accidents resulting in death, it is not uncommon for bystanders to attack the driver perceived to be responsible. This is more common in rural areas and in accidents involving Indonesian drivers, but crowds at the scene of an accident have occasionally attacked expatriate drivers. When an accident occurs outside a major city, it may be advisable to drive to the nearest police station before stopping.

For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, please see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/road-safety.html. For specific information concerning Indonesian driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the Indonesian National Tourist Organization via the Internet at www.indonesia-tourism.com. Please see also road safety information from the U.S. Embassy home page at http://jakarta.usembassy.gov.