You obviously need to use common sense when traveling in Mexico. Among the major precautions to take:

• Avoid spending too much time in the border towns.
• Avoir to travel at night.
• Don’t show a wallet full of money and wear your finest jewelry.
• It is highly recommended to plan your itinerary in advance and to do some research about the cities and the roads on which you will be driving. For example: Will you have to drive on a dirt road?
• Will the city be too big and the traffic too congested to allow you to maneuver your RV easily?

Before you leave, check out the “travel advice and advisories” provided by Canada and the United States.

Border crossings

You can expect to spend a lot of time at the border. This is one unavoidable step for everybody. Since border crossings do not have the same operating hours, it is recommended to arrive in the early morning so that you have time to get to your destination before nightfall.

IMPORTANT: The temporary import permit for your vehicle must absolutely be canceled at customs when you leave Mexico.

Here are the documents you will need:

• A valid passport
• A tourist map (which you can get to the border)
• The vehicle’s registration certificate showing the driver’s name and stating legal ownership.
• Your valid driver’s license
• An international credit card in the name of the driver of the vehicle
• A valid Mexican insurance (which you can purchase from Leclerc Insurance by calling 1 800 567-0927 or via leclercassurances.com)

Mexican insurance for your RV

A Mexican insurance is required since your Québec automobile insurance contract is not valid in Mexico. Your damage insurance broker, here in Quebec, can help you obtain this insurance through Leclerc who is a licensed special broker. The purchase of the policy from a reliable supplier who can provide explanations in French will simplify the planning of your trip.

Driving itineraries

The roads in Mexico can vary significantly from one to another. They can range from modern toll highways to dirt roads. More importantly, beware of speed bumps! These  speed bumps, just as in Quebec, are intended to make you slow down… If you hit one of them at full speed, it can damage your RV!

If you drive carefully and learn Mexico’s road safety rules, you should not have any problem. Especially if you have a good map and a journal to plan your itinerary.