Jordan is most certainly one of the easiest countries to drive in that I have found. There is very little traffic on the roads outside of the major cities Aquaba and Amman and the roads arewell maintained for the most part. with that said there are a couple things you should know before you chose to drive in Jordan.
Police Checkpoints and stops
There are police absolutely everywhere in Jordan which may be troubling at first.However, after being stopped 7 times in my time in Jordan I can categorically say the police in Jordan are some of the easiest to navigate. Frequently when I was stopped they would not need to say anything more than, “Welcome to Jordan, have a good day!”.
On the occasion they do ask for details it is usually as simple as where you have come from or where you are going and very occasionally they will ask you for your license card. This is not your drivers license! it is a little card which most rental companies keep in the glove box which has all the registrations for the vehicle on it. This must be kept in the car at all times as well as your passport and drivers license (just in case).
Speed Bumps
After driving in England for most of my life seeing speed bumps as frequently as I did in Jordan was quite surprising. They have them in any area which is considered residential no matter what type of road it is. Even the Kings Highway (biggest motorway in Jordan) has speed bumps on it – quite the shock when i hit one at 90km/h after landing at night time and not knowing about them!
Just keep an eye out for the pedestrian signs on the side of the road or overhead which indicate there is one of these crossing within a hundred yards or so.
Animal crossing
Another thing to keep an eye out for in Jordan are animals of all descriptions wandering onto the road and causing chaos. Be it dogs, donkeys or camels animals go wherever they please in Jordan and roads are most certainly not off limits; expect them to meander through traffic at their leisure at all times of day.
