Are there any special requirements for driving or hiring a car in Haiti?
The Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, Haiti is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake that shook the country to its core leaving scenes of devastation in its wake. Many of the roads were destroyed during the earthquake making driving in Haiti hazardous and simply impossible in some parts. The country is finding its way back from the 2010 disaster and foreign aid has asissted in rebuilding parts of the country worst hit. Its capital Port-au-Prince has seen major re-investment to repair the infrastructure including the road network, critical in getting the country and its economy back on its feet. You'll find much of the road network in Haiti is now new which makes driving in Haiti a fairly pleasant experience compared to many other Caribbean countries where road conditions can be poor. Of course, areas affected by the quake that have yet to be repaired can still be hazardous by car. You should take extra care when travelling at night and avoid where possible, parts of downtown Port-au-Prince should be avoided where possible as crime is high. You are advised to keep your doors locked and windows up (use air conditioning) where possible.
