South Africa is probably one of the best countries in the world to explore by car. We have over 750 000 kilometres of excellent roads – the largest road network of any country in Africa. This comprehensive network spans the entire country. So, no matter where you want to go, there’s always a road that will get you there! However, although driving in South Africa is usually easy and hassle-free, there are several key differences between driving here, and driving in the States. Here are a few of the most important ones:

Driving In South Africa Means Driving On The Left

This is one of the trickiest differences to get used to. As a general rule of thumb, South Africans keep left and pass right. However, this is not always adhered to! Many South African drivers pass left or down the middle lane on a multi-lane freeway.

When driving in South Africa, keeping to the left is particularly tricky when stopping at an intersection or entering a roundabout. At any intersection without traffic lights (in South Africa, these are often referred to as “robots”) remember to look to the right first! At a roundabout, you have to give way to traffic approaching from the right.

Driving on the left means all cars are right-hand drive. This, in turn, means all the controls in the vehicle will be on the other side of the steering column to most cars found in the States. Most rental cars in South Africa are manual (stick shift). So, you’re reaching for gears with the “wrong” hand, which can take a little getting used to. If you feel this is going to be a problem, you can request an automatic. They are usually, however, more expensive to hire.

It’s worth taking a few moments before leaving the rental car park to familiarise yourself with where everything is. It can be very distracting trying to find lights or windscreen wipers when you’re trying to concentrate on unfamiliar roads. And try not to drive when you’re tired. This is good practice anyway, but when you’re fatigued, you’re more likely to forget you should be driving on the left. Tired or not, you’re pretty much guaranteed to inadvertently wash your windscreen whenever you want to put your indicator on! At least for the first couple of days, anyway!

Driver’s License

To drive in South Africa, you have to be at least 18 years old. Americans can get their driver’s license at the age of 16, but this is not relevant in South Africa. Even with a US license, you won’t be allowed drive in South Africa unless you’re 18 or older. It’s compulsory to carry your driver’s license with you at all times. Failing to do so could result in a significant fine. In addition, you cannot hire a car in South Africa unless you’ve had your driving license for at last five years.

Get Security Savvy

Driving in South Africa is usually a great experience, but it doesn’t hurt to be wary of a few security issues:

• Always lock your car when you park it and never leave valuables in the car if you can help it. If you do have to, try to make sure they are hidden from sight. Physically check that the doors are locked, even after you think you’ve locked them. “Remote jamming” is common, particularly in shopping mall car parks.
• “Car guards” are common in most shopping mall parking lots, and they help keep your car safe. They are usually identifiable from their uniforms and high-vis vests. A tip of a few Rand is customary.
• Never, and we do mean never, stop to pick up hitch-hikers or anyone else flagging you down on the side of the road. If you’re concerned that someone might be in trouble, report their location at the nearest police station.
• Keep your doors locked and windows closed when you stop at a traffic light or other intersection.
• If you’re driving along, do not put your handbag or other valuables on the passenger seat. Rather lock them in the boot.

Having A Gas

When driving in South Africa, remember that “gas” is definitely not something we put in our cars! If we talk about gas, we mean Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) which we buy in bottles of varying sizes. We use gas for braais (barbeques), cooking, lighting, hot water and heat, but we do not run our cars on it! So, if you need fuel for your car, you have to ask for petrol or diesel, depending on what vehicle you have. Unleaded fuel is usually widely available, but low and very low sulphur diesel is sometimes trickier to find in remote areas.

Petrol stations are not self-service in South Africa. There will always be an attendant to fill up your car for you. You can also request an oil, water and tyre (tire) pressure check, as well as a windscreen clean. It’s customary to tip between R5 and R10 for these services.

Also remember that fuel is priced per litre, not per gallon. A litre is a little under a quarter of a gallon, so multiplying the per-litre price by four will give you a rough idea of how much you’re paying per gallon.

The Need for Speed

Speed limits on South African roads are higher than in the States. We work on a metric system, so all limits and distances are in kilometres, not miles. The general speed limit on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 120km/h (75mph). On secondary (rural) roads it is 100km/h (60mph), and in built-up areas, it’s usually 60km/h (35mph) unless otherwise indicated. Average speed cameras are common on dangerous stretches of roads, and “pop up” manned speed traps can catch you at any time – especially during peak travel periods.

Remember that if you are “flashed” by a roadside speed camera, and you’re in a hired car, the fine goes directly to the car rental company. It’s common practice for them to charge a steep admin fee for paying and processing any fines you incur. So, it’s best to stick to the speed limit at all times!

More Helpful Information

If you’d like to know any more information about driving in South Africa, here are a couple of really useful websites to check out:

• The Automobile Association of South Africa https://www.aa.co.za
• Arrive Alive https://www.arrivealive.co.za
• The South African National Roads Agency Limited https://www.nra.co.za

And if you’re looking for a car rental company that goes the extra mile to make sure your car hire experience is as wonderful as your road trip, look no further than SA Car Hire.  With over 20 years in the business, you can trust us to make your holiday in our beautiful country a truly memorable one.

The post Everything Americans Should Know About Driving In South Africa appeared first on Tony's Car Hire.

GPS rental is the easy, hassle-free way to find where you need to go these holidays. It’s true that you could use the map app on your smartphone. However, if you’re visiting South Africa from another country, data roaming charges get very big very quickly. And if you’re travelling to some of our more remote locations, cell phone signal and 3G can be unreliable at best.

What Are The Benefits Of GPS Rental?

GPS rental really is the smart way to get where you’re going these holidays. Because your GPS unit receives its data from no fewer than 24 satellites, it doesn’t rely on cell phone coverage. The satellite data combines with mapping technology, so you can successfully navigate all South Africa’s major, primary and secondary roads. Your GPS has mapping details of over one thousand South African cities and towns, 759 rural villages and nearly 300 000km of road data. You get unrivalled coverage and it’s extremely user-friendly.

The units are multi-lingual, which means you can programme them to display and speak in the language of your choice. So, there’s no need to worry about having to try and read signposts in a language you may not understand. And if you do accidentally take a wrong turn, you won’t have to stop on the side of the road to spread out a map on the bonnet of your car! Your unit simply recalculates your route without you having to do a thing! Except, of course, to follow the new directions it’s given you!

You can customise your GPS to give you information in a format you’re used to. For example, you can choose to receive your route guidance information in either metric or imperial format (yards and miles or metres and kilometres). GPS’s work using a touch screen mechanism, so are quick and easy to operate, and you don’t have to worry about running out of battery. They plug directly into either the cigarette lighter point of your vehicle, or into a USB port, so they charge while you’re driving. Once parked, to can remove them and take them with you to use while walking.

Other Points To Consider

Depending on the car hire package you choose, you may have only a limited number of kilometres per day included in your package. After that, there is a per-kilometre rate to pay. On top of that, you have fuel costs to consider. Using a GPS system means you can choose the shortest route to your destination. This not only saves you money, it also means you have more time to enjoy your destination once you arrive.

Your GPS unit is portable, and is easy to remove from your vehicle. This means you can take it with you when you go walking or hiking, for example. Or, if you’re exploring a town or city on foot, it can help you find your way to the places you want to visit. It’ll even tell you how to find that little coffee shop the tourist guide recommended!

Even if you’re a local tourist and feel as though you know your intended route well, a GPS unit can still be invaluable for a number of reasons. For example, a GPS lets you know of any hazards along your intended route, such as roadworks or traffic accidents. It can then recommend alternate routes. This could save you hours of frustration in a traffic jam. A GPS also warns you if you’re travelling over the speed limit for the area you’re in. This could save a fortune in speeding fines, which means more money to spend on holiday!

A GPS also lets you know how long your journey should take, and gives you an estimated time of arrival. This is particularly useful if you’re on your way to catch a flight or if you need check in to your hotel before a certain time.

How Do I Add GPS Rental To My Car Hire?

It’s as easy as requesting a unit at the same time as you book your car hire! If you only decide later that want to add GPS rental to your car hire, no problem! A simple phone call should be enough to take care of this. Try not to leave it  later than 48 hours beforehand, so that unit availability can be guaranteed.

Here are a few points to remember when collecting your GPS device:

• Make sure all accessories are included with the unit.
• Check that the GPS works, and is charged and ready for use before you leave the car hire office.
• Keep all the paperwork relating to your GPS rental in a safe place.
• If you plan to take the unit out of South Africa into a neighbouring country, make sure you have permission from the car hire company to do so.

 SA Car Hire offers GPS rental at competitive rates when you hire a car with us. Call us now to chat about pricing options and availability.

The post Paradise Lost? Not With GPS Rental From SA Car Hire! appeared first on Tony's Car Hire.

South Africa is blessed with thousands of kilometres of wide smooth tarmac between all the major cities. However, many of the true gems that lure tourists to this beautiful place are hidden away, and well off the beaten track. In fact, a beaten track is often all you’ll have between you and the next addition to your bucket list.

Which brings us to the point of this article.

Driving on Dirt

Sand, gravel and corrugated roads snake across South Africa and there is a very good chance that you will encounter these on your travels. Too many people assume that their “great” driving skills will be sufficient to allow them to navigate their way over these roads.

While you won’t always a need a 4×4 to traverse these tracks, the additional traction and control that they offer can be a bonus. For the most part, a solid sedan will see you through. Provided, of course, you respect the dirt.

Speed and Sand

A rookie mistake made when driving on dirt roads is a little too much speed. The wide road, relatively solid surface and complete lack of verges often encourage you to put your boot down and pop the occasional tailslide. Fun, right? Wrong. Gravel and sand can be as treacherous as driving in snow or ice. A deep section of sand, a little loose gravel and an unexpected oncoming vehicle will see you in trouble faster than your skills will allow you to correct.

Following on from that, hard braking and aggressive steering are additional checkpoints to add to your “things not to do” list. Overcorrecting and braking at the same time will see you on your roof. Or at the very least, enjoying a close-up of the nearest tree.

While on a loose and often treacherous dirt road, drop your speed to a sensible 40- 60 kph, depending on the state of the road. Potholes and rain gullies will slow you down whether you like it or not, but even a smooth surface can wreak havoc on your hire car if you’re not super careful.

If the road you’re on is very long and very corrugated, consider letting some air out of your tyres – no more than 20%. This will ensure a softer and quieter ride…just don’t forget to pump them up again at the end of the road.

Local Fauna

If you’re on a rural road surrounded by beautiful bush, then you will no doubt encounter some of the local wildlife. Goats, sheep, cattle and dogs are common fellow road users in the South African outback, but when you’re driving in a game park or conservation area, you are likely to come across a somewhat different type of creature.

To be fair, most wild animals are pretty skittish and are more likely to bolt away from you at high speed. But others are more curious and less concerned about the size and speed of your car. It’s not uncommon for animals to run alongside or in front of your vehicle while you’re driving on dirt – and is definitely something to look out for.

Don’t assume that the animals will get out of your way in time – or at all. And if you are going too fast then you may get a Springbok on your lap. Explain that to your car hire company!

Defensive Driving

Slow down and don’t hit the animals. Got it. However, there is a little more to navigating a successful South African road trip than that.

Defensive driving – on and off dirt roads – is a must. We all know to maintain a safe following distance, to keep your eyes on the road, avoid distractions such as cell phones, and of course to make sure you don’t drive whilst tired or after a few beers.

However, when you’re driving on dirt, these “good ideas” can save your life. A safe following distance on a sandy road means that other vehicles will still be able to see you outside of the dust cloud thrown up by the car ahead of you. Sticking closely to your side of the road when cornering means less likelihood of side-swiping an oncoming driver on a tight bend if one of you loses a little traction. Keenly concentrating on the road ahead – keeping your eyes up – increases reaction time in the event of an emergency.

For more information on driving safely on gravel roads take a look here. Being keenly aware of the perils (and joys) of driving on dirt will guarantee you a wonderfully exciting holiday in South Africa.

To book your safe and affordable car, talk to one of our team and let’s get driving.

The post Seeing South Africa’s Hidden Gems Mean Driving on Dirt. Here’s How. appeared first on Tony's Car Hire.