Highway Signs in Mexico
Can You Read the Signs?
Tara Spears
As thousands of seasonal visitors return to the Riviera Nayarit, many arrive by personal vehicle and are often overheard bemoaning the confusion of Mexican road signs. Well, duh, Canadian road signs are confusing if one doesn’t understand English. I am embarrassed to admit that even after years of being a permanent resident in this beautiful country, I couldn’t read the Spanish traffic signs. This fall I determined to educate myself. With notebook and pen on the seat, I set off driving and would pull over to jot down the sign wording to be translated later. For years I had blindly made up translations as I barreled along the Mexican roads, more interested in the sights than the traffic signs- imagine my shock to learn that my imaginary translations were totally wrong. Yikes! Ignorance may be bliss but it is also unsafe when behind the wheel.
A crucial sign that most international drivers can recognize because it is the same shape and color as the ubiquitous stop signs is Alto; however, in Mexico it is not typically placed on the right side of the road before the intersection but rather on the far side of the cross street. Another troublesome sign is the left turn indicator: here it is necessary to exit one street from the right lane to make a left turn into another street-heads up to all of you that are zipping into Bucherias’ Mega or Vallarta’s Cosco or Walmart. Forget the rules of the road that you learned in another country regarding yellow lines: in Mexico, the drivers pass on turns or whenever they feel like it, solid lines be damned, expecting the oncoming traffic to make way for them. Obviously, driving defensively and yielding is wise no matter how strongly you feel that you have the right of way.
A word of significant caution to all international drivers: if you are involved in a traffic accident, no matter whose fault caused the incident, Mexican law requires the police to confiscate your foreign vehicle and the driver is taken to jail. Paying the ‘fine’ to redeem your vehicle is quite steep, not to mention stressful, especially if you are not fluent in Spanish. Another traffic law that I learned the hard way is that Mexican nationals cannot drive vehicles with foreign plates (registry). So no matter how well you know and like a national, do not lend your vehicle- if they are pulled over by the police, the car will be confiscated and the owner (you) will have to pay a huge fine to get the vehicle back. While both of the above actions may seem harsh, in reality they are a protection, a means of getting drunk drivers immediately off the road and as a potential means of recovering stolen vehicles.
Regardless of the signs, my personal Mexican driving nemesis is the proliferation of speed bumps. I have a low riding car, so it didn’t take long (ok, six months and an oil pan replacement) for me to get the idea that the speed limit is primarily regulated, not by signs, but by unannounced concrete mounds (topes). The sudden appearance of several speed bumps indicates that you are approaching a village, town, or high pedestrian area. The absolute worst speed bumps in this country (that I have experienced) are as you enter Tepic. The only municipality where I have ever noticed tope signs is in Guadalajara, and then the signs are even with the cursed curve- not far enough in advance to effectively slow down before reaching them. I have learned to automatically decrease speed in critical areas along my oft traveled routes.
Driving throughout the Riviera Nayarit gorgeous scenery is just as safe and enjoyable as NOB as long as one uses common sense, defensive driving tactics, and reads the signs.
Common Mexican road signs and English translation:
| Semaforo en operacion | Traffic lights ahead |
| No rebase | No passing |
| Curva peligrosa | Dangerous curve |
| Frene con motor | Use your engine to brake |
| Ponga la basura en su lugar | Put trash in its place |
| Concede cambio de luz | Dim your lights for oncoming traffic |
| Obedezca las señales | Obey traffic signs |
| Utilice el cinturón de seguro | Use seat belts |
| No maltrate las señales | Don’t damage the road signs |
| Grava suelta | Loose gravel |
| Tramo en reparación | Road repairs ahead |
| Máquinas trabajando | Heavy equipment ahead |
| Guarde su distancia | Don’t tailgate |
| Precaución: zona de ganado | Caution: open range |
| Si toma no maneja | If you drink, don’t drive |
| Con neblina encienda sus luces | Turn on headlights when foggy |
| Respete los límites de velocidad | Respect posted speed limits |
| Termina puente en construcción | End of bridge construction |
| Puente | Bridge |
| Puesto de control military | Military checkpoint |
| Gracias por usar el cinturón de seguro | Thank you for buckling up |
| Topes | Speed bumps |
| Un solo carril | Single lane ahead |
| Desviación | Detour |
| Disminuya su velocidad | Slow down |
| No deje piedras sobre el pavamiento | Don’t leave rocks on the highway |
| Conserve limpia la carretera | Keep highway clean |
| Más vale tarde que nunca | Better late than never! |
| Zona de vados | Washes in area |
| Cruce de peatones | Crosswalk |
| No rebase con raya contínua | No passing on solid line |
| Precaución extrema: orilla peligrosa | Extreme caution: dangerous shoulder |
| No se estacione | No parking |
| Termina acotamiento | Shoulder ends |
| Carreteras limpias son mas seguras | Clean highways are safer |
| Precaución: maquinas trabajando | Caution: machinery working ahead |
| Cinturón de seguridad obligatorio | Mandatory use of seat belt |
| No maltrates las senales | Don’t damage road signs |
| Precaución: zona de derrumbes | Caution: landslides possible |
| No circule por acotamiento | Don’t drive on shoulder |
| Modere la velocidad, su familia le espera | Slow down, your family is waiting for you |
| Con niebla o lluvia enciende sus luces | Turn on lights when foggy or rainy |
| Carril izquierdo solo para rebasar | Left lane for passing only |
| Principia tramo de cuota | Begin toll road |
| Camino cerrado por obras | Road closed ahead |
| Use acotamiento para emergencia | Shoulder are only for emergencies |
| No exceda los límites de velocidad | Don’t exceed the speed limits |
| Transito lento carril derecho | Slower traffic use right lane |
| No tire basura | Don’t litter |
| Periferico | Bypass highway (from downtown city) |