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Driving in Morocco

There are few real problems driving in Morocco, but be aware that accident rates are high – in large part because much of the population is not yet tuned in to looking out for motorized vehicles. You should treat all pedestrians with the suspicion that they will cross in front of you, and all cyclists with the idea that they may well swerve into the middle of the road. Your fellow motorists may also be rather careless in their driving, particularly in towns, which can make negotiating city streets a rather hair-raising experience.

However, with that in mind, daytime and certainly long-distance driving can be as good as anywhere. Good road surfaces, long straight roads, and little traffic between inhabited areas allow for high average speeds. The usual speed limit outside towns is 100km per hour (62mph), which is difficult to keep down to in desert areas, where perceptions of speed change. In built -up areas, the speed limit is generally 40km per hour (25mph). Signs indicate speed limits other than those. There is an on-the spot fine of 30dh for speeding offenses, and oncoming motorists flashing their headlights at you may well be warning you to slow down for a police check ahead. The French rule of giving priority to traffic from the right is observed at roundabouts and junctions meaning that cars coming onto a roundabout have priority over those already on it.

Be very wary about driving after dark. It is legal to drive without lights at up to 20km per hour, which allows all cyclists and mopeds to wander at will; donkeys, goats and sheep do not carry lights either.

By law, drivers and passengers are required to wear seatbelts. Almost no one does, but if you follow suit and are stopped by the police, you may receive a small fine. Given Morocco’s high road-accident rate, it is foolhardy not to wear a seat belt anyway.

It is of course difficult to generalize, but for the purposes of planning a journey, you can expect to make an average headway of 50 km per hour driving on major routes, more on the motorways (Asilah-Rabat, Rabat Casablanca, Rabat-Fes and Casablanca Settat), but less in the south, where roads are narrower and less well maintained.

Piste Driving

Driving in Morocco On the pistes (rough, unpaved tracks in the mountains or desert), there are special problems. Here you do need a good deal of driving and mechanical confidence – and if you don’t feel your car’s up to it, don’t drive on these routes. Obviously, a 4×4 vehicle, albeit expensive, is best suited for pistes driving in Morocco , but most pistes are passable, with care, in an ordinary small car, though it’s worth asking local advice first. On mountain roads, beware of gravel, which can be a real danger on the frequent hairpin bends, and, in spring, flash floods caused by melting snow. The four-volume series, Pistes du Maroc (Gandini), are invaluable guides for anyone planning on driving pistes; they are available in the Main Moroccan bookshops.

Land Rover Exploring

When driving in Morocco, this can be an exciting way of exploring the mountains and desert, off goudron (tar mac/hard top) or even off piste (dirt track). Companies lay on vehicles, driver and mess tent, organize food and cooking and will go wherever requested, in whatever style required – criss-crossing the mountains or wandering into the desert, climbing peaks in remote areas, looking at wildlife, botanizing, coast exploring or anything else. For economical and practical reasons groups should number five to eleven, so you’ll probably find yourself exploring with strangers. UK-based AMIS specializes in this field or you can, contact hotels or ONMT.