Are there any special requirements for driving or hiring a car in Jordan?
We’re often asked, “is it safe to drive in Jordan?” and the answer to that is quite simply yes. Of course there are risks to driving anywhere in the world, some countries / cities carry higher risks than others, but armed with the right knowledge there is no reason that driving in Jordan should be any less safe than anywhere else in the middle east.
Whilst it is perfectly safe to drive in Jordan, that’s not to say that its as straight forward as say driving in Europe or the USA. There is a cultural difference and it’s very obvious when out on the roads. Talking of the roads, those in an around the capital, Amman can be very busy but as you’d expect of a major city, it has a major road network with many 3 lane highways in and out of the major regions. That said, whilst there may be 3 lanes painted on the highway, when it gets busy it becomes something of a free for all and its not uncommon to see up to 5 lanes of cars. Sounding of horns is common much like many middle eastern countries, but it’s rarely something to be overly concerned about. Maintaining concentration is key to safe passage as minor bumps and shunts are common. If
renting a car in Amman, we strongly recommend our Full Protection Insurance product as bumps and scrapes are commonplace and whilst may not be your fault, could result in a costly repair charge from the rental agent.
Renting a 4x4 in Amman is popular and given the road conditions once out of the city, it's not difficult to understand why.
Once out of the city, the relatively small country is easily accessible by its highways that often very quiet through large expanses of desert and mountains. Police checks are common, particularly for foreign drivers in rental cars to check your documents so make sure you have them to hand and be prepared to stop and show them when requested.