| Please keep the following
in mind when doing a self-drive tour in Nambia
The roads within Namibia are first class by African standards
with nearly 4500 kilometres of
good tarred roads and an extensive network of district gravel roads. Driving
is done on the left-hand side of the road with the speed limit being 120km
per hour on major and minor routes outside of city limits and 60km per hour
within city limits. It is highly recommended that a maximum speed of 80km
per hour NOT be exceeded when travelling on ANY gravel or sand roads. The
wearing of seat belts is compulsory
for all vehicle occupants.
Wildlife wandering on roads is a special driving hazard in
Namibia, especially at night. An encounter at high speeds with antelope or
cattle can be fatal. The salt-surfaced roads at the coast can also be
deceptively dangerous, especially when they have been made slick by morning
or evening mist. Most major roads are undivided with one lane in each
direction. Drivers should remain alert for passing vehicles and exercise
caution when passing slow moving vehicles.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal in
Namibia. A charge of culpable homicide may be made against a driver involved
in an accident resulting in death.
Flashing of high beams and similar signals could mean
anything from a friendly greeting to a warning. When encountering a
motorcade, motorists are encouraged to make way immediately and follow
promptly any instructions given by the officials present.
Roadside assistance and emergency medical services outside
of Windhoek may be unreliable or non-existent. Assistance on main roads that
link Namibia's larger towns, however, is generally good due to quality
cellphone networks. Emergency services contact numbers vary from town to
town. The Namibian telephone directory has a list of emergency contact
numbers at the beginning of each town listing.
Driving On Gravel Or Sand Roads
Although the main routes in Namibia are tarred, more often
than not one's travel plans will lead one to travel on a gravel or sand
road.
These type of roads are usually well maintained, but
sometimes one encounters heavily corrugated stretches. The unpleasant, 5 to
10cm deep grooves develop through too fast driving. The vehicles and their
passengers are thoroughly shaken up on corrugated roads. It becomes
supportable, if one virtually "flies" over these stretches by driving
relatively speedily so that the wheels don't have to dip into each groove
deepening. The optimal speed is usually about
80km per hour.
Each year car rental companies in Namibia register
numerous accidents, usually with vehicles being rolled over. Inexperienced
drivers get too far to the margin of the gravel roads that are usually
slightly vaulted in the middle. When the driver then pulls the steering
wheel around abruptly, the accident occurs. In particular, light
four-wheel-drives react to such driving mistakes by rolling around the
longitudinal axis and the vehicle turns over.
Drivers should reduce speed significantly for curves or
turns and should heed all warning signs. Hitting a sand patch or driving
around a curve too fast can easily result in a rollover or spinout. Many
accidents on gravel roads occur when tourists exceed safe speeds on corners
or in areas recently damaged by rains. There is only one way to avoid this:
PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY!
For more about self-drives:
Self-drive and tours
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