With all the rumors about how crazy driving in Cancun can be, many tourists deprive themselves of the pleasant adventure they can experience in this amazing region. Most of these negative ideas come from exaggerated accounts. If you are like most of the smart drivers who follow common sense and care while driving, you can make moving about Cancun more enjoyable by renting a car during your vacations. You will have more freedom to move about leisurely. The road quality is also good, especially those between Cancun and Tulum after a major highway expansion was done there. Start that engine while keeping these practical tips in mind for a more enjoyable and stress-free ride.

Cut Your Speed in Cancun

There are two reasons you would want to keep your speed down while getting around in Cancun: topes and potholes. Topes are speed bumps that are seriously tall in some road sections. Some can be hard to spot and might cause minor damages to your car when hit at full speed. Potholes can come in different sizes but those huge ones can be a major threat to your safety. Better slow down and stay safe.

Overtake with Caution

It’s hard to calculate how fast or how slow the other vehicles are moving sometimes. When passing another vehicle in Cancun (or any other city in the world, for that matter), you should do so with extreme care. Consider the space and time you need before you proceed. Inappropriate overtaking might lead to negative reactions from other drivers. There are very few hard shoulders on most of the highways, so you might end up in a ditch, or worse.

Avoid Nighttime Driving

Most road accidents occur at night in Cancun. You might want to change your schedule to make sure you get to your destination before sundown. Several reasons can cause these fatal accidents at night including vehicles without proper lights, drunk driving, drunk pedestrians, potholes, no reflective lines on the road, and animals on the road.

Days when you should be extra careful in Cancun

Sundays and paydays (the 15th and 30th of each month) are the days when you have to be extra vigilant on the road. Each moving vehicle might be driven by a drunk person so be extra careful while driving. Pedestrians must also follow these road guidelines to avoid danger. Even though you might be extra careful, the other drivers and pedestrians may not be. Being alert and prepared for these days and other demanding times will help.

Be Smart

Smart driving requires effective decision-making skills. Even though there are driving stunts which you may notice as common sights in Mexico, such as kids hanging out the windows, families piling into beds of pickup trucks, driving around drunk and other concerns, it doesn’t mean these are acceptable and you can do these tricks as well. The key guideline is to be as cautious and obedient to the rules of safe driving as if you are driving in your home country.