Car rental in Rio De Janeiro

In Rio de Janeiro the same speed limits apply as throughout Brazil, namely:

• The maximum speed of a vehicle on a motorway or rural road must not exceed 120 km/h;
• On urban roads you may not drive faster than 60 km/h.

Vehicle movements are closely monitored by cameras and speed radars. Speed bumps are also very common.

Rio is a major city that does not have enough parking spaces. Most hotels have special car parks for guests, and the owners themselves decide whether or not to charge a fee for them. The same applies to large companies, offices and various institutions.

The cost of parking varies according to the part of the city, the day of the week and the time of day. When the number of vehicles is particularly high (at weekends and during peak hours), the price for 1 hour of parking is 10 USD. Car owners can purchase special parking cards (sold at small newspaper or cigarette kiosks), which are valid for different numbers of hours. When leaving your hire car in a car park, you need to mark the time of arrival and place the card behind the windscreen.

Due to the increasing number of road accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol, the government has tightened the rules. The maximum permitted level of alcohol must not exceed 3.2 DG/litre. Drivers who violate this law face severe penalties: a fine, a driving ban or imprisonment. The type of penalty depends on the seriousness of the offence.

In Rio de Janeiro, traffic drives on the right-hand side and the basic rules are as follows:

• It is forbidden to drive through a red light;
• You must wear a seat belt;
• It is not permitted to talk on a mobile phone while driving;
• It is strictly forbidden to drink-drive and to exceed the speed limit.

Visitors may find it difficult to adapt to local driving habits, as drivers often do not follow traffic regulations, rarely reduce speed and overtake other cars at their own discretion.