Just how dangerous is driving in Brazil?

Hi all,

I'm going to Brazil in a few weeks and I'm deciding whether I should travel by bus or by rental car. I understand that driving in Brazil is definitely not what us Europeans and Americans are used to, but I just like to know: is it doable if I'm very very careful, or is it simply not worth the risk, and should I definitely not do it?

Is should add that I have never been to Brazil before, I speak basic Portuguese (lived in Portugal for two years) and that I鈥檓 familiar with driving in East Africa and the Caribbean. I always take the full insurance package, I don鈥檛 drink and drive, and I avoid driving at night.

Cheers!

I'll be travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte, then to Salvador, and along the coast back to Rio

Personally,I wouldn't go as far as to call it dangerous but I would say that I often found it to be 'very challenging'.You sound like a safe and experienced driver and with your knowledge of Portuguese you should have little trouble adapting.I might also add that the public transportation system in Brazil is both inexpensive and efficient.Have a safe trip!

watch out they have armed gunmen at Street lights and will car jack you if they think you have money if you are driving a nice car and try to ransom you

You don't specifying where in Brazil you will came.
So, I am from S茫o Paulo.
And here the traffic is crowded and the indications is not good, if you miss the exit, sometimes you have to drive a great way off to get back to that point.
The public transportation is not good.
The taxi is very good but not so cheap, but I think would be the best for you....

I am so sorry to say that, but I do not recomend you to drive in Brazil. Even if you are extremely careful, you must consider that the portuguese that you speak in Portugal is not the same in Brazil for several words.
But if you really want to drive here, please consider to drive when you reach the cities you are planning to visit.
If you love the country and come visit us again on the same cities, and having a little bit more portuguese vocabulary, so I will wish you avery nice drive until then, take a moment to consider flights.

I would recommend the buses. They have a very good bus system for long distances, and in the local cities, like Rio.

Frankly, before you think about renting a car, I would highly suggest trying a cab ride thru the city of Rio first. I bet after that experience you will not want to drive with these people any more!!!

Im from New York, and I have a second home in Rio - and well, I thought New York drivers and cabs were nuts....wait till you see Rio!

TAKE THE BUS!

it's a normal traffic...
if you're as careful as you say, you'll have no problem.

Dude let me tell you something your risking your life both on the road and in unsafe places, let me tell you about Brasilian drivers have you ever seen formula one race car drivers? Well thats exactly how they drive like theirs not tommorrow and they tailgate other cars as if they were being persued.
stick to the trasportation system thats what it's their for plus you can sleep on the way in the bus to your destination!

Cheers!

It depends on the place you go. I don't know this part of the country. I think you should go by bus (or airplane). I went to Rio de Janeiro once, and I was shocked with the number of shanty-towns. It isn't common on the rest of the country ( I live here 25 years, I had never driven so close to a shanty until I know Rio de Janeiro). Brazil is too much unequal. You'll find places with excellent quality of life, and places that will remember Somalia. You'll notice that we are living in a apartheid regime.

If you are planning to drive inside Sao paulo I don't recommend drive in the rush hour because it is so crazy and at night is not good you get lost in a dangerous neighborhood. Sao Paulo is also a huge city and sometime its not easy to find the places
The highways outside the city sometimes are very bad and with lots of trucks so you have to drive very carefully. And they are not very well signed so you must have a very good map for long trips
If you are going to drive on a small cities it's ok, you won't have any problem.

You does not imagine the so much that is danger. It die more people in our traffic than in Irak and Vietn芒.

In double track is not dangerous.