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Driving in Costa Rica:

Be extremely cautious when navigating Costa Rica’s roads. Ticos are renowned for their politeness in conversation, but the opposite is true on the road. The roads claim enough lives to give them some of the worst highway safety records in the world. Drivers dart in and out of lanes; motorcycles fly past at red lights; police control of drunk driving is still developing. Additionally, the condition of most dirt roads defy description, and pot holes are just a fact of life. It is not unusual to meet stray cows and horses wandering onto the roads.

The best advice is to take your time. It will make the drive much more enjoyable and give you a chance to take in the spectacular natural surroundings. Besides, it is not a good idea to hit one of the many, many chickens running around everywhere outside the towns.

You should be aware that Costa Rica does have strict traffic laws with high fines for a variety of infractions. The car rental agencies will have information about these rules. Traffic law requires all cars to carry a kit containing among other things jumper cables, a fire extinguisher, and 2 triangles. Make sure that your rental car complies with the law.

Wear your seat belt, use “hands free” when using a cell phone, and observe speed limits and other directions along the road, especially in school zones, and you should be OK.

Speed traps (stretches of road with a much lower speed limit for no apparent reason) are not unusual, and the traffic police officers like to station themselves in the shade at the side of the road with their radar guns. Should you get pulled over, don’t fret. Accept the ticket (multa) and turn it over to the rental company who will apply the ticket to your bill.

If you have an accident, do not move your car until the police instructs you to do so, regardless of how much people honk and scream.

Dangers in the roads, like washed away road, are often marked with a stick, sometimes with a rag or plastic bag tied to it. Respect these "signs", proceed with caution.

Because Costa Rica is located close to the Equator, the sun rises between 5 am and 6 am, and sunset is between 5:30 pm and 6 pm all year round. Dawn and dusk are very short, and we recommend considering this when planning your trips in Costa Rica, especially when traveling by rental car. Driving at night can be tricky because of the often poor road conditions, vehicles and bicycles without lights, and people and animals on the road.

Please also keep this in mind when walking in the afternoon. Bring a flash light so you can stay at the beach to enjoy the sunset till the end.