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local Thursday 12 OcTOber 2023

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Basic driving rules on Aruba (part 2)

(Oranjestad)—In Yester- bebouwde kom signs are
day’s issue, we’ve provid- also paired with a similar
ed some basic rules when sign crossed out.
driving on the four-lane
highways and roundabouts Priority signs
on the island. Today, we On the main roads of Aru-
want to offer you more tips ba (not the highways), you
and tricks when it comes may see a yellow, squared
to driving on the roads and sign with a white border.
highways of Aruba. This sign tells you that on
this road, you have priority
Speed limit in certain areas and all other traffic should
As mentioned in yester- yield to you. This sign can
day’s issue, the legal mini- be seen in Savaneta for ex-
mum and maximum speed ample. So, if you are driving
limit on the island is 50 and on the main road in Sava-
80 km/h respectively. How- neta going to San Nicolas,
ever, there are some ar- you are driving on a single
eas where it is mandated long road, and other cars
to drive up to a certain that want to get on this
speed. This is always indi- main road or cross it, either
cated by a circular traffic from an intersection or from
sign with red border and a dirt road, must all wait un-
the number 50 on it. Signs til traffic on the main road
like these are always paired is clear. In other words, you
by a similar sign with the do not have to stop for
number crossed out further them. This sign too has a
down the road. This means counter part that indicates
that the mandate for this that your priority is over.
speed is now over; you
may increase your veloc- Another priority sign you lar up-side down triangle,
ity. Red borders on traffic may encounter is a triangle also found on intersections.
sign—whether it’s a circle sign with a red border and This sign is a prohibition sign,
or triangle—usually signal something that looks like a telling you that you have to
a warning, prohibition or cross. You’ll see this sign in stop and give other cars
preference. an intersection. The gener- priority. Of course you also
al rule of thumb for crossing have a “stop” sign that
Besides the “50” sign, you an intersection that do not mean the same thing. The
may also encounter a traf- contain traffic lights, round- stop sign is generally used
fic sign that says “bebou- abouts, sign or arrows on for tricky intersections with
wde kom”. These can be the road, is to always yield minimal view of opposite
found in San Nicolas and for traffic on your right. incoming traffic.
Oranjestad. Bebouwde However, if you encoun-
kom sings are rectangular ter this sign on your side of These are some of the ba-
and blue, and essentially the intersection, you have sic rules that you would
tell you that you are in a priority over the other cars, have to know if you decide
heavily inhabited area. The even the one on your right. to drive on the island. These
maximum speed limit in a are of course other traffic com for an extensive over- Picture credits: aruba-travel-
bebouwde kom is 50 km/h. However, be careful not to signs, and we recommend view of all traffic signs used guide.com
Just like the previous pair, confuse this sign with a simi- you visit aruba-travelguide. on Aruba. q