Car rental in Paraguay - 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 Paraguay is provided for general reference only, and it may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance:

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

U.S. citizens have been injured and killed in traffic accidents. Only minimal standards must be met to obtain a Paraguayan driver's license, and driver education prior to licensing is not common. Drivers throughout Paraguay routinely ignore traffic regulations. No vehicle insurance is required, and many Paraguayans drive without any insurance coverage. Persons who drive in Paraguay should be prepared to drive defensively and with their own insurance in both urban and rural areas.

Public transportation is readily available for urban and inter-city travel. Buses vary in maintenance conditions and may not meet U.S. safety standards. Armed robberies occur on buses in cities and rural areas, sometimes with the apparent collusion of the bus driver. Taxis are available and may be called using telephone numbers listed in the newspapers. No passenger train service exists. Bicycle travel may not be safe due to traffic and other road hazards.

Most urban streets consist of cobblestones over dirt. Some roads in Asuncion and other large cities are paved. However, these roads frequently develop potholes that often remain without repair for several months. Nearly all rural roads are unpaved, and during rainy periods and the rainy season (November-March/April) they may be impassable. Road signs indicating hazards, such as sharp curves or major intersections, are lacking in many areas.

Driving or traveling at night is not advisable outside Asuncion because animals or vehicles without proper lights are often on the roads.

In addition, assaults and other crimes against motorists traveling at night have occurred. Extra precautions should be exercised along infrequently traveled portions of the rural roads.

Due to insufficient funds, intercity highway maintenance is not equal to U.S. standards. The privately maintained toll road between Caaguazu and Ciudad del Este and the routes between Asuncion and Encarnacion and Asuncion and Pedro Juan Caballero (with the exception of one section being repaved) are in good condition. Most other intercity routes are in good to fair condition, with brief stretches in poor condition. The Trans-Chaco route is in poor condition.

In Asuncion, the following phone numbers exist for roadside/ambulance assistance:

Emergency Services, including police and ambulances: 911;
Fire Department, including rescue of accident victims: 132, or 225-400;

The Touring and Automobile Club provides some roadside assistance to its members. The Club may be contacted in Asuncion by visiting its offices at 25 de Mayo near Brasil, First Floor, or telephoning 210-550, 210-551, 210-552, 210-553, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon, except for Paraguayan holidays. The Touring Club also has offices in Ciudad del Este (tel. 061-512-340), Coronel Oviedo (tel. 0521-203-350), Encarnacion (tel. 071-202-203), Pilar (tel. 086-341-099), and Loma Plata (tel. 0918-2610). Towing services are scarce outside of urban areas. Twenty-four-hour tow truck services from Asuncion may be contacted by telephoning (021) 224-366. For an extra fee, these companies may provide service outside of Asuncion, but they typically demand immediate payment and may not accept credit cards.

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 Paraguay 's driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the tourist offices in the Paraguayan Embassy in Washington, D.C. Internet: http://www.embassy.org/embassies/py.html; or the Paraguayan consulates at the locations noted in the above section on "Entry and Exit Requirements". Information may also be obtained from the Touring and Automobile Club in Asuncion.