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US Department of State ratings:
Safety of Public Transportation: Poor
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Fair
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor
Driving on Zambian roads can be hazardous. Since most roads do not have shoulders or sidewalks, pedestrians and livestock use the roadways both day and night. While the main roads in Lusaka are maintained, many secondary roads are in poor repair. Driving at night can be hazardous and is discouraged. Minibuses and cars break down often. When breakdowns occur, local drivers place a few branches behind the car to indicate trouble, but this is hardly visible at night. Many drivers use their high beams at night to detect stopped vehicles and pedestrians.
There are no emergency services for stranded drivers. It is advisable to have a cell phone when undertaking a trip outside of town, although many parts of the country do not yet have cell phone service. During the rainy season (end of October to mid-March), people who do not have a four-wheel drive vehicle will encounter problems driving on rural roads. The roads from Lusaka to Livingstone and the Copperbelt cities of Ndola and Kitwe are generally in good condition year-round.
Minibuses serve as the primary means of inter-city travel in Zambia. They are often overcrowded and seldom punctual. Some luxury buses do ply the routes between Lusaka and Livingstone and the Copperbelt. City traffic is comprised mostly of cars and minibuses; motorcycles are rare. Since 2000, Americans have been involved several car accidents, a number of them serious. Carjackings occur in Lusaka day and night, most often by blocking the back of one's car when one pulls into the driveway. For security reasons, the U.S. Embassy discourages travelers from driving on rural roads, especially near the borders with DRC and Angola.
Seat belts are mandatory, as are helmets for motorcyclists. A child's seat is not mandatory by law, but is essential for safeguarding children. Traffic circulates on the left side of the road. There is no left turn on red. The speed limit is 50 km/30 mph in Lusaka and 100 km/60 mph outside of city limits. However, speed limits are rarely respected, and most cars drive 80 km/50 mph in the city and 120 km/75 mph outside town. It is not unusual to see four-wheel drive vehicles, trucks, and buses driving at even higher speeds on the stretch between Lusaka and Livingstone. Drivers under the influence of alcohol, who are involved in accidents, are tested at Lusaka's University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and then taken to court.
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