Generally, driving in Ethiopia is on the right. While traffic flow in most cities around the country is fairly light, driving in and around Addis Ababa could be very intolerable especially during rush hours. Places to avoid during these hours include, Merkato, Tekle Haimanot, Kality, Kera, Megenagna, Imperial Square, Jackros etc. With alternative roads coming into services every now and then, the traffic becoming fairly avoidable in some areas if you know the shortcuts and your way around.
With a reported higher death rate per motor vehicle, some statistics say that Ethiopia is probably the most dangerous country to drive. There are frequent accidents both in Addis Ababa and in upcountry. The poor road conditions especially during winter, lack of proper signs, poor street lights at night, lack of sidewalks, poor road safety awareness, overcrowded roads especially at junction points, over speed driving and poor driving standards, all contribute to the accidents. It is always advisable to drive slowly in busy areas and be attentive at all times as pedestrian could just cross at about anywhere. One should not expect others to respect road rules and should focus and give priority. Expect the white and blue minibus taxi service providers to suddenly break or unexpectedly enter your lane without a turning light; always be cautious. There are plenty of junctions without the presence of traffic lights; one must be attentive and careful while crossing those junctions.
It is always advisable to lock your vehicle specially at traffic lights as there are rare incidents of grabbing and running of laptops, phones, etc. Most importantly, be extremely cautious while parking your vehicle and know where you are parking as the theft of side mirrors and bags, laptops, etc. from the vehicle is common in some areas. Parking tickets are very cheap and are only available in some parts of the city. In those areas parking attendants put a ticket on your windshield with the current time on it. You pay when you come back.
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