AfricaWorldwide

1. Africa

Africa spans the Mediterranean coast, Sahara and Sahel, equatorial forests, East African highlands and the savannas and deserts of southern Africa. Road conditions can vary enormously, from modern urban motorways and major international corridors to remote gravel or dirt roads where fuel, repair services and mobile coverage may be limited. There is no single African traffic code. Both driving systems are widely represented: countries such as South Africa and Kenya drive on the left, while countries such as Rwanda and most of North and West Africa drive on the right. Speed limits, alcohol thresholds, child restraints and vehicle requirements are determined by individual countries.

Cross-border road transport is important, and the Trans-African Highway network links major regions and ports, but national traffic and border rules continue to apply on every section. Regional insurance schemes can simplify some journeys: the COMESA Yellow Card provides cross-border third-party cover in participating eastern and southern African countries, while West Africa has the ECOWAS Brown Card system. Most countries use kilometres per hour, although exceptions exist, including Liberia, whose traffic law still expresses principal speed limits in miles per hour. Written signs may use Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and numerous African languages. Desert heat, sandstorms, seasonal flooding, tropical rain, wildlife and long distances can all become major driving hazards depending on the region.