América del NorteMundial

No. Traffic law varies by country and often by state, province, territory or municipality. Drivers should check the rules of every jurisdiction they enter.

Most mainland North American countries drive on the right, including Canada, the United States, Mexico and the countries of Central America. Several Caribbean jurisdictions, including Jamaica and The Bahamas, drive on the left.

In right-driving jurisdictions, overtaking is normally on the left. In left-driving Caribbean jurisdictions it is normally on the right. Multi-lane passing rules and exceptions depend on local law.

911 is used for emergencies in Canada, the United States and Mexico, but it is not a universal number for every Central American or Caribbean jurisdiction. Check local emergency numbers before travelling.

No. There is no North American standard speed limit. Limits can be set nationally, by states or provinces, or by local road authorities and can vary by road type, vehicle and conditions.

The United States generally uses miles per hour (mph). Canada and Mexico use kilometres per hour (km/h). Units elsewhere in the Caribbean and Central America depend on the jurisdiction.

No. Alcohol limits and enforcement systems differ by jurisdiction. Some places also apply lower or zero limits to young, novice, commercial or professional drivers.

Seat-belt laws are widespread, but the precise rules and exemptions vary. Requirements for rear-seat passengers, taxis, buses and older vehicles should be checked locally.

Child-restraint laws are common but are not standardised across the continent. Age, height, weight and seating-position requirements can differ significantly between countries, U.S. states and Canadian provinces or territories.

No single rule applies throughout the continent. Helmet requirements differ between countries and, particularly in the United States, can also vary by state and rider age.

Many jurisdictions prohibit or restrict handheld phone use, texting or other electronic-device use while driving, but the exact offence varies by country, state, province and territory.

No. Daytime-light requirements are not uniform. Vehicle-equipment standards and rules requiring lights while driving can differ between countries and subnational jurisdictions.

There is no continent-wide vignette system. Road charging usually applies to individual toll roads, bridges, tunnels or express lanes and can use cash, electronic tags, accounts or number-plate billing.

Yes. Toll roads, bridges, tunnels and express lanes operate in a number of states. Some use conventional collection while many facilities use electronic or fully cashless tolling. There is no nationwide passenger-car road toll.

Canada has some tolled roads, bridges and other facilities, but there is no national passenger-car road vignette or general nationwide motorway toll. Charging arrangements depend on the province and individual facility.

A carretera de cuota is a toll road, while a carretera libre can be used without the corresponding toll. Mexico has extensive tolled highway infrastructure alongside free routes.

IAVE is an electronic telepeaje system using a tag to pay at participating Mexican toll facilities operated or administered through CAPUFE networks.

No. Toll systems are not continent-wide, and interoperability is normally limited to particular networks or regions. A tag used in one country should not be assumed to work after crossing a border.

There is no single rule. Foreign-licence recognition depends on the destination. In the United States it can depend on the state, while Canadian requirements are determined by provinces and territories; Mexico and other countries have their own rules.

No. An IDP is not universally mandatory. Some jurisdictions require or recommend one for certain foreign licences, particularly when the original licence is not readily understandable locally.

Often yes, but customs, temporary-import, registration and insurance requirements are country-specific. Crossing a border in your own vehicle can therefore require additional documents beyond a driving licence.

Do not assume so. Insurance requirements and recognition are country-specific, and minimum liability coverage can differ. Drivers should confirm that their policy is legally valid in every country they intend to enter.

No. The United States uses the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) as its national traffic-control-device standard, Mexico has its own national signalling standard and manual, and Canadian rules and standards involve provincial and territorial authorities.

Yellow diamond-shaped warning signs are characteristic of several major North American systems, including the United States and Mexico. This differs visually from the red-bordered triangular warning signs common in much of Europe.

Written road information can appear in English, French or Spanish depending on the country and region, with indigenous and other local languages also appearing in some areas. Many warning and regulatory signs rely primarily on symbols.

No. Right-on-red rules are jurisdiction-specific. It is allowed under certain conditions in many places, but can be prohibited by local law, signs or particular intersection rules.

No. Rules can depend on right-of-way law, arrival order, road classification and traffic-control devices. Do not assume priority from the right or any other single rule applies across the continent.

Do not rely on one continent-wide rule. Modern roundabouts commonly require entering drivers to yield, but local traffic law and the installed yield or stop signs determine priority.

They are particularly common in parts of the United States and Canada. The applicable right-of-way rules depend on the jurisdiction, so drivers should not automatically transfer local four-way-stop habits to another country.

School-bus stopping laws are especially important in the United States and Canada, but the exact requirements vary by state or province, including exceptions for divided roads and traffic travelling in the opposite direction.

No. Winter-tyre requirements vary by country, province, state and road. Some jurisdictions impose seasonal requirements, while elsewhere winter tyres are recommended rather than universally mandatory.

There is no continent-wide rule. Chains can become mandatory on certain mountain roads or during severe winter conditions, while their use may be restricted elsewhere.

Yes, particularly in Canada, Alaska and the northern and mountainous United States. Drivers can encounter snow, ice, freezing rain, blizzards and severely reduced visibility, and roads can close during major storms.

Yes. Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf and eastern Pacific hurricanes can cause storm surge, flooding, fallen trees and road or bridge closures in the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Yes. Tropical storms, hurricanes and intense thunderstorms can flood roads very quickly. Do not drive into floodwater or ignore an official road closure.

Yes. Wildfires can cause road closures, smoke, poor visibility and emergency evacuations in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central America. Follow local emergency instructions.

Parts of Canada, Alaska, the western United States and northern Mexico have long distances between fuel, services and settlements. Weather, heat, cold, wildlife and limited mobile coverage can make breakdowns more serious.

Yes in many rural regions. Deer, moose and other large animals can enter the road unexpectedly, particularly around dawn, dusk and wildlife-crossing areas. Drivers should reduce speed when conditions require it.

No. Periodic inspection, emissions testing and roadworthiness requirements vary considerably by country and subnational jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions require regular testing while others have much more limited inspection regimes.