Traffic Tickets and Accidents in Mexico
Bringing Pets to Mexico
City in Mexico
First of all, keep calm & carry on. It will work out better than you expect.
What to do if you have an auto, RV, or motorcycle accident in Mexico? First of all, keep calm & carry on. It will work out better than you expect.
It’s incredible how few driving accidents there are in Mexico. You would expect auto accidents in Mexico to be more prevalent than in the USA. They aren’t. Good Mexican auto insurance is necessary, just like it is back home. If you get a traffic ticket in Mexico, it’s not so bad anymore. Your Mexican insurance provides you with bail bond insurance and accident insurance. If you have an accident, trust your insurance company to take care of things.
Leaving the scene of an accident in Mexico will only make a minor situation worse. If you have auto insurance, you will not go to jail, as some claim. (Although I now add a caveat – if you are a real SOB to the policeman, he will find a reason to put you in jail. Play nice).
If you are suspected of driving drunk or stoned, you will go to jail regardless of insurance. If the police officer says you were intoxicated, your insurance company will deny your claim.
If you do not have Mexican auto insurance, you will go to jail until the damages are paid. I know. I did. I now travel with Mexican auto insurance, have had accidents, and have not gone to jail.
You will find several different products relating to driving in Mexico (maps, road logs, or road logs) on my cart (click My Store on the side menu), as well as a description of my trip-planning services to help you get the most out of a driving trip to Mexico.
Automobile Traffic Accidents In Mexico
A minimal number of gringos have driving accidents in Mexico. Perhaps they learn the differences between driving in Mexico and driving in the USA or Canada quickly, or maybe God watches out for fools, drunks, and the U.S.A. (I’m sure he meant Canadians, too), as my father told me. So that you won’t have to depend on divine intervention, I will give you some of the driving tips I have gleaned in my more than twenty-five years of driving around Mexico. At that time, I had one accident — and that was because I passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. Here’s a tip — if you have a back window on your 4WD, don’t leave it open.
My good buddy, Joe King Carrasco, had a severe wreck near Manzanillo. He was hit by a Coca-Cola truck. The driver tried to explain that, although he had a stop sign, everyone knew it didn’t really count! After all, he was in a big truck! Fortunately, the police had a different opinion, and the driver was ticketed. Joe left his rental car with the agency, and not only did he not go to jail, but they didn’t charge him for the rental. He considered suing Coca-Cola, but it seemed too daunting a task, so he was happy to get back and have a free rental car.
So, the moral is: if you have an accident, you will probably be treated fairly. There are, of course, always incidents when you could encounter a corrupt cop, but that occurs in a minority of cases, not the majority, as in the past. In particular, the Federal Highway Patrol (Policia Federal de Caminos) are pretty good guys.
Traffic Tickets In Mexico
Something new is that, according to several Mexicans I’ve talked with, the police have been instructed to help, not harass tourists. I believe that, in most cases.
If you get a ticket, the officer confiscates your driver’s license. He takes it to the comandante or police station – eventually. He gives you access which is your permission to drive until you pay the fine and get your license back from the comandancia. It is a Byzantine system, which is why so many people prefer to pay a mordida or bribe. It often takes a couple of days to resolve the issue, which is fine if you stay in the area but a real pain if not. Tell the policeman that you want to go to the comandante and pay the fine right now. See what happens.
Should you pay a mordida or bribe? I never do. Well, I did once, but I was in a hurry to get back and didn’t have the time to fight it. If you can hold out, you can get away without a fine. From a moral standpoint, he who pays a bribe is as guilty as he who asks for one.
Traffic Tickets in Baja California
Driving in significant peninsula cities, you can often obtain your ticket and send in payment once you’re back home. Many visitors think they have to go right away to the police station to take care of their fines. It’s essential to ask the office for a written ticket with an acceptable amount. If you get a traffic ticket on the toll road, you may have to pay at the police station. The officer can provide information about where you can go to pay your fines.
Traffic Tickets in Rosarito:
All Rosarito police officers in December 2009 began issuing bilingual tickets for traffic infractions. This will allow out-of-area visitors, as well as others, the option of paying fines by mail. The Municipal Police will issue these new tickets to any motorist who commits an infraction within city jurisdiction. They will list the amounts for each offense, and the fines can be paid by mail. Motorists still have the option of appealing a ticket.
The procedure does not apply to other parts of Baja or other departments. For example, Federal or State police might make a traffic stop on highways under their jurisdiction within Rosarito. Police agencies implement procedures on an individual basis, including bilingual tickets.
Hugo Torres, Mayor of Rosarito, Baja California
“This will make it less confusing and easier to pay traffic fines. Especially for our out-of-area visitors,” said Mayor Hugo Torres. “Before, it was necessary to follow an officer to a station to pay the fine. In most cases, you can now mail in the fine.” He continued, “A Mexico traffic ticket can never be paid directly to an officer. We ask that people report to us the name and badge number of any officer that requests that they do so or any that does not offer them the option of receiving a bilingual ticket.”
This bilingual traffic ticket in Mexico is one of the many efforts to make Rosarito a more attractive tourist destination.
“This year alone, we have started a special tourist police force office for visitor assistance. This tourist policy has 400 volunteers for a citizens’ watch program in our tourist area,” said Laura Wong, president of the Rosarito Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Partly because of this, a busy Spring Break, Memorial Day, July Fourth, and the Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride went smoothly and without any serious incident involving any of our many visitors,” she said. Having Mexican insurance with mexinsurance is a great way to protect your vehicle and your experience in Mexico – but ALWAYS drive safe and have fun in our beautiful city of Rosarito.
Rate of Fines
Depending on the nature of the traffic breach, fines will vary. Many common ones, such as running a red light, typically start at $23 U.S. dollars. Yet fines can go up. These fines are also based on the assumption that there are no other complications like a collision. Though people frequently joke about the driving experience in Mexico, it’s not the Wild West. Drivers are expected to obey traffic laws, and while U.S. drivers will lament that most Mexican drivers omit a turn signal, the driving directions are designed to keep traffic flowing and safe.
Mexico Traffic Tickets: Complications
Acting rude or non-compliant with the officer administering a ticket is not advisable. Officers can arrest you and bring you to the station. While your Mexican insurance policy certainly affords you rights and protections, getting arrested in Mexico will undoubtedly complicate your travel plans and may lead to additional fines. Instead, accept the citation and make plans to pay for it. Also, remember that driving under the influence is illegal in Mexico. If you drive drunk, you also forfeit the protections of your Mexico insurance policy. Therefore, never drink or go anywhere in Mexico. Also, never leave the scene of an accident as this could cause serious complications.
Avoid Mexico Traffic Tickets
It’s not uncommon for drivers to make traffic errors and be issued tickets when traveling in an unfamiliar place. Yet you can reduce the likelihood of being given a traffic citation by obeying all traffic laws and signals. Before driving to Mexico, familiarize yourself with Mexican traffic signs and directions. Also, always keep a couple of copies of your Mexican insurance. You should always keep one in your car, but keeping a copy in your hotel room or rental makes sense.
Traffic tickets can happen to anyone so try not to let them ruin your plans. You can usually quickly take care of them in the city or town where you obtain them, but in many cases, you can even mail in your fine. Be sure to drive with your Driver’s License at all times, which is a legal requirement.
Liability Insurance for Driving in Mexico is a Federal Law as of 1/1/2019.
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