Driving in Morocco
Driving experiences in Morocco are intriguing. However there is a great deal of construction work under way to make improvements to the road network with new motorways being built, making it a lot easier and safer for visitors to travel far.
The car is by far the most popular form of transport to get around in Morocco and this is helped by an already established road system, which is being added to with the construction of a number of new major roads around the country as part of a new government scheme.
Due to the rapid growth of the economy, partly from increased tourism and interest in Morocco , it is no surprise that the government has set itself a target to build 160 km of new major roads per year up until 2010. It is hoped that with these better infrastructures, Morocco will compete well against the EU standards and popularity will continue to increase. This will mean that by 2010 Morocco will be well equipped and have in the region of 1,450 km of new roads.
The new motorways will cover the following stretches:
- Casablanca - el Jadida - 28 km
- Tetouan - Fnideq - 28 km
- Settat - Marrakesh - 54 km
- Out of new port of Tangier Med - 54 km
- Marrakesh - Agadir - 233 km
- Fès - Oujda - 320 km
You will find the driving in Morocco very different to the roads in the UK, where drivers apparently drive with a lot less care for who is on the roads at that time. Should you be brave enough to experience this, it advisable to be aware that in the local towns and villages people will speed a great deal and weave in and out of the traffic, but there seems to be very few accidents that occur.
Points to remember when driving in Morocco :
There are speed limits and these are set at 100km per hour on the major roads and high ways but in local villages and towns it is 50km per hour.
Seat belts must be worn and this applies to the driver and any passengers.
At night you must drive with your lights on, as it is illegal to not do so. However vehicles traveling less than 20 km per hour in the local villages are allowed to do so. Cyclists often travel with no lights on their bikes and at night it can be hard to see them in the road and it is advisable to keep your wits about you at all times on the road.
The cost of fuel within Morocco can be costly.
Car Hire
All of the international airports in Morocco will have the facilities to hire a car, as well as some of the major cities, with most of the agents having branches.
You will find that driving along the road is ve6ry clear and easy to do, as most of the local people do not have access to a vehicle. This will leave you with the opportunity to enjoy exploring the country with ease and at your own pace
If you think you might like to hire a car when visiting you will need an international driver's license and your own motor
insurance.