Drive safely in
Drive Safely In Jordan
Jordan is a very unique country. Combining true Middle Eastern charm with an openness to the rest of the world, Jordan has become one of the main travel destinations in the region. Whether you travel there for the fascinating sites of Petra and Wadi Rum, the Red Sea beaches, or unique traditions and genuine hospitality, you’re not going to be disappointed. To us at AutoNation Car Rental, safety is our number one priority. We put a lot of emphasis on providing relevant and important information to ensure your safety on the road.
At the time of pick up, we will hand you our safety manual. We highly encourage you to go through it. It is based on years of experience and is full of useful information.
Before that, here are our top tips so that your trip to Jordan is memorable only due to the wonderful things you experience and not due to unpleasant incidents or unnecessary costs.
Summer
Summer driving around Jordan is quite easy, especially when compared to winter. The weather is usually calm Here are some of the most useful information regarding driving in summer in Jordan. Main concerns • Road constructions. • Animals on the road. • Puncture tires on gravel roads. Temperatures rise as summer approaches, and the daytime sun is typically quite intense by mid-June, with average highs above 100° F / 38 ° C . For those unaccustomed to the heat, exploring the country’s many outdoor attractions can be daunting - but if you don’t mind the weather, a summer trip to Jordan has its benefits.
Winter Driving
Travelling during the wintertime in Jordan is a completely different experience. When you think of winter in Jordan, you may not think of cold, snow, or even Christmas (seeing as it’s a Muslim country in the middle of the Middle East)! But that’s where you’d be mistaken. Temperatures in Jordan can get pretty low starting from October/November until February/March time. It has witnessed many snow days and snow fights does tend to rain more than it snows, which can lead some time to flooding so do come prepared and don’t take unnecessary risks like jumping in puddle.
The Road
Animals
Regardless of if you are in a city or out in the desert, always keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians and animals when driving in Jordan. In the cities, pedestrians, dogs, and cats often weave through traffic to cross the road. Out in the desert, you’ll notice people and dogs crossing the highways, and you might spot camels, too!
Off Road Driving
Off-roading is strictly forbidden in Jordan. The amazing Jordanian nature is sensitive so let´s treat it gently and with respect. F-road and Off-road driving is not the same.
Drive on the right side of the road
In Jordan, you drive on the right side of the road. This is pretty straightforward! Just keep to the right lane at all times (except when passing), and you’ll be all good.
Road signage in Jordan.
Most road signage in Jordan is written both in Arabic and English. Keep an eye out for road signs, including speed limit signage, and always obey the signage instructions. Note that speed limits are written in the metric system (speed is measured in kilometres per hour rather than miles per hour).
Speed limits
The general speed limit in town is 50 - 60 km/h and 90 km/h on the highway Please note: special warning signs indicate danger ahead, such as sharp bends, and blind hills but there is generally no separate sign to reduce speed.
Road conditions in Jordan
While driving in Jordan, road conditions vary throughout the country. Some of the highways are perfectly paved, other roads are a little more treacherous. Always monitor the road conditions, and beware of potholes and speed bumps.
Be prepared for police checks.
Checkpoints and random police checks are normal in Jordan. They happen because Jordan is located amid conflict zones. Police checks are nothing to worry about, just as long as you’re prepared for them. If you encounter a police check while driving in Jordan, slowly pull over, and prepare your passport as well as your vehicle’s registration documents.
The officer will either wave you through (sometimes they won’t bother checking if they see you are a tourist), or they will ask to look over your documents, and maybe look through the car and trunk.
Cyclist
When passing a cyclist on the road, the legal requirment is to have a minimum of 1.5 meters of space between the vehcile and the cyclist
Your Safety
Driving Tired
Beware of getting too tired at the wheel. Jordan may look small on a map of the world, but distances that seem short on the map may take a long time to cover by car. So please take long journeys in easy stages and enjoy them to the full.
Drinking & Driving
It is forbidden to drive a motor vehicle in Jordan after drinking alcoholic beverages.
Stopping the Car
Stopping the car on the side of the road can be dangerous and should be avoided unless there is an emergency. Please note: Stopping the car in the middle of the road for photo shooting can be extremely dangerous. Choose your photo locations carefully.
Child Seats
The driver is responsible for all children in the car using appropriate child seats. AutoNation Car Rental has top-of-the-line child seats for rent.
Seat Belts
Seat belts are mandatory in Jordan. All travellers are obliged to use safety seatbelts. This applies to those sitting in the back seats as well.
The Car
Car Lights
Lights do not have to be switched on all day, but you should turn on lights when it is getting late or when the weather is bad and the visibility is low.
WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD TO DRIVE ON
First, you drive on the right side of the road, so that should be a huge relief for the majority of our customers.
Fuel
There are two types of fuel in Jordan, 90 and 95. Make sure to use the correct fuel type. Gas stations in Jordan are plentiful, so you never have to be worried that you will run out of petrol. You usually can’t fill the gas in the tank yourself, just wait for the attendant, and tell him that you want either a full tank or give him in advance a banknote which you wish to pay.
Headlights
Drivers are obliged to drive with headlights on at all times. If a passing car is flashing you, it means that you do not have your headlights on.
BREAKDOWN OR EMERGENCY
Breakdowns and other emergencies can unexpectedly occur on the road. In such unfortunate situations it is important to react correctly.
ROAD AND TRAFFIC SIGNS
Like anywhere else in the world, traffic signs play an important role when driving in Jordan. There are a lot of them, and we do not expect all foreign visitors to recognise them all. Fortunately, most of them explain themselves. It is important that drivers respect them and drive accordingly.