Car Travel in Belize

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Car Travel

Your driver's license may not be recognized outside your home country. International driving permits (IDPs) are available from the American and Canadian automobile associations and, in the United Kingdom, from the Automobile Association and Royal Automobile Club. These international permits, valid only in conjunction with your regular driver's license, are universally recognized; having one may save you a problem with local authorities.

Emergency Services

When renting a car, ask the rental agency what they do if your car breaks down in a remote area. Most in Belize send a driver with a replacement vehicle or a mechanic to fix the car.

Contacts

Belize Police (911).

Gasoline

Modern, U.S.-style gas stations -- Texaco, Esso, and Shell brands, some of them with convenience stores and 24-hour service -- are in Belize City and most major towns. In more remote areas, especially in the southern part of the country, fill up the tank whenever you see a service station. Premium unleaded gas costs about BZ$7.75 a gallon. Diesel fuel is about one-third less. Attendants who pump gas for you don't expect a tip.

Road Conditions

Three of the four main roads in Belize, the Western Highway, Northern Highway, and Hummingbird Highway, are completely paved. These two-lane roads are generally in good condition. The Southern Highway, from Dangriga to Punta Gorda, is completely paved except for a 9-mi (15-km) stretch near Big Falls. Aside from these main highways, expect fair to stupendously rough dirt, gravel, and limestone roads; a few unpaved roads may be impassable at times in the rainy season. The main highways in Belize are now well signed, with large green signs directing you to major sites of interest.

Road Maps

The best available road map to Belize is the Belize Traveller's Map published by ITMB, Vancouver, Canada, last updated in 2005. Buy this map before your trip as it is not always readily available in Belize. Emory King's Driver's Guide to Beautiful Belize, updated annually and available in Belize, is a mile-by-mile guide to most roads in Belize.

Rules of the Road

Driving in Belize is on the right. Seat belts are required, although the law is seldom enforced. There are few speed limit signs, and speed limits are rarely enforced. However, as you approach villages and towns watch out for "sleeping policemen," a local name for raised speed bumps on the road. Belize has about a dozen traffic lights, and only Belize City has anything approaching congested traffic. Despite the relatively small number of private cars in Belize, traffic accidents are the number one cause of death in the country. Belizean drivers aren't always as skilled as they think they are, and drunk drivers can be a problem.