Drive me Around

Road Safety Advice for foreigners driving in South Africa

South Africa has much to offer for international tourists and more and more is done to ensure an enjoyable and safe stay for our international visitors. Tourism authorities in South Africa would like to promote the beauty of tourism destinations across the country – and the arrive alive website would like to assist by providing road safety suggestions to all the international visitors.

• Road infrastructure is mostly excellent with national roads maintained by the South African National Roads Agency [SANRAL].
• Many of the national roads between the major centres are toll roads. Check the toll fees before you leave, and make sure that you have either a credit card or cash to pay.
  While most national roads are tarred and in good condition, the more rural the road, the more likely it is to be pot-holed and poorly surfaced.
• Driving is a viable option with careful planning advised as South Africa is a huge country not easily traversed in a day
• With a good map visitors should have little difficulty in finding their way around.
• Current information on the conditions of roads can be obtained through the Automobile Association of South Africa. The AA also provides invaluable guides for road users in the form of strip maps tailored for specific destinations and information for tourists on accommodation and routes.
• Plan your journey carefully. If you’re not used to driving long distances, rather break the journey, as fatigue is a major contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents.
• Tell your friends and family which routes you will follow and where you plan to overnight.
• All signposts are written in English.
• When asking for directions, you may be surprised to get the response “turn left at the next robot…” - a ‘robot’ is the South African term for traffic lights.
• Petrol/Fuel Stations are mostly open 24 hours and spread along all the routes. They are not self-help, but manned by attendants who can also check oil, water and tyre pressure if required. Gratuities for this service are at your own discretion.
• Many of these petrol stations have restaurants and restrooms - use them to freshen-up on the long drives.
• There are three types of fuel available, leaded, unleaded and ‘dual fuel’ which can be used in place of either.
• Petrol prices are fixed and controlled by the government – they are payable in cash.
• When traveling through South Africa’s neighboring countries, petrol-station are more scarce, so be prepared

For more information, visit the AA Website.