How safe is driving through Mexico

Well, I don't live in Mexico and my last trip was last Summer.  But I have been down more than a dozen times,both driving (all the way to Guatemala) and on the bus numerous times.  I now take the bus from Houston (where I live) because of the many highway auto thefts.  They happen more to the SUV and pickup crowd for some reason, but still, you can take the bus all the way from Houston and feel quite secure.  The advice about major highways and night driving has always been true because of many road hazards that you might not encounter in the USA. Go with your eyes open, but do not go in fear.

Thanks so much for you input, and I will keep my eyes wide open! But I will not let it stop me from going.

Waukeenah Wonder:)

Thanks so much!!!!!!!!

we are seasoned mex/am couple, driven many times...favorite entry used to be reynosa...then down the coast to costa esmeralda in veracruz and lovely family owned beach hotel...on the way south...
but never again...crossed into reynosa just at dawn...thinking wanted to get out of border area asap...and i guess we went TOO early...got stopped within a half block..by local crooked traffic cop, who was very demanding, very aggressive, basically said, you can pay me right now...or i will just hold you here until 10am when the cartel people show up and they shoot people here all the time...i have a street smart local husband...and still we paid $300...then he so graciously showed us the right road out of town...then in tampico, same day stopped 4 more times by crooked local traffic cops...threatened at length, tow truck in position, took a few things out of the suv...kept hus and i seperated, talking thousands of dollars...one even escorted us to an atm...which would not give us cash...oddly they accepted that...ended up a total of $615 dollars in bribes to get from reynosa to tuxpan..the cops even wrote their car number and color code...saying when you get stopped by the next cop...just tell them you paid and show them my car # written in the dust on your hood (doesn't work either)....the rest of the way south... lots of polite, respectful stops by military and feds all the way down to oaxaca...theory is 1.....it was near dia de los muertos...and local traffic cops are known to look for extra $ for their "taco" around holidays...our fault...2..car was conspicuous...and sorry to say, ours was older than yours...just having usa plates on an old suv makes it conspicuous...3. tampico is an oil rig town...not a tourism town...so no concern about affecting the tourism...by contrast in 23 years...never been shook down by a cop in oaxaca...or even pick pocketed...4...it's just getting a little more like the wild west in mexico...everyone looking for a little chance to take advantage...

so dear...the advice to go, but don't go in fear...? well, yes and no...make sure you don't over pack the car, you may find yourself unloading it all so the cops can make a mess and accuse you of not paying your fair entry tax on it's contents...(we had our receipt showing we paid an extra tax at to officials at a check point just outside of reynosa...and our crooked cops just shrugged that off,,,you cheated,,,you didn't show them everything...once you cheat here in mex...well...you are going to jail, we are taking the car and all the contents and it will cost you thousands to get this resolved...they were very disappointed with my many books in english, and trashed my paintbrushes...but stole a bottle of liquor and a couple of small tools...to which i just kept saying, come on...this is mostly used household stuff...no arms, no drugs, no electronics...grandma was cold so we brought her a heater...don't you have something more important to do....then i tried to change the subject, get friendly with one of them...so really this road is confusing...which should we take to get to tuxpan...he laughed...said you're not going to make it to tuxpan tonight or anytime soon, we're taking you in...then husband finally said...after frisking him, kinda roughing him up,,,but no real injury...he said...look take me in, i have nothing to give you, already been hit 4 times, even the atm won't give me money, we are both american citizens...take us in and we'll figure it out with the  judge...they started to get more agitated and let him come over to talk to me...i stayed in the car the whole time they had him out w/ 5 cops around him...so he says the cops told him i agreed to give them 3000...usdollars...he told them that's crazy, don't have it...the cops told me husband agreed to 1000 usd...i told them that's crazy we don't have that...all the while i kept our laptop and camera and my purse between my legs in the car...and they never took them or asked for them...we had some cash hidden in the computer bag...and finally gave them 300...they patted us on the @%#$  and off we went...

i have never been afraid driving in mex before...loved it ...not anymore...if we could find a way not to drive out next month, i would do it in a  minute...but current advise is go on the biggest toll roads...don't stop in any small town...pack light so if you have to gun the engine..you have more power...bless yourself, the car, the road, etc...and do what you have to do...but keep your eyes open, but not drawing attention...or...fly....again...major TOLL roads down the middle...not just major hwys...sigh...not looking forward to it...and hard to see things deteriorate like this...cuts us off from so many lovely people we used to meet along the way...sigh...good luck..be well, be prepared and calm and strong....

mjplatt wrote:

I now take the bus from Houston (where I live) ...., you can take the bus all the way from Houston and feel quite secure.

@ mjplatt:    I'm interested in your bus route and company.  We live in Southern Mexico and most recently, we fly to Juarez and cross in taxi, but this time are thinking of taking the bus from Monterrey to Houston as my truck is currently parked there.

Can you give me some more info on the bus lines you have used and what destinations, etc.?

Thanks in advance for any info there.

Also, I've been driving down for years, though not recently as noted above.    I also hear that it's gotten worse, but friends who drove back a few weeks ago in early March 2011 via the Veracruz coast had no problems in their RV. 

my friends wrote:

We’re back in the USSA safe & sound, we had an easy trip, 3 days no problem, no missed topes, no narco- gangs, no bandito-policia around Tampico .  It seems going through on a Saturday morning is best(cops maybe recovering from Friday night drunk).  We saw no RV’s on the road and when we got to the Emerald Coast and Nautla there was no sight of campers, trailers or RV’s anywhere  only a few local student tenters. Most of the military stops had guys with an electronic wand (looked like a small transistor radio) that was waved around vehicles apparently to check for drugs? Or guns? Or aliens?

When we approached Matamoros we saw more and more military trucks stopped with troops hiding under bushes and in ditches (usually just smoking or eating). About 20K south of the border we had a herd of  14 Federale police cars (all mustangs!) pass us heading south away from town at high speed.

I imagine that a safe trip depends on you, the value of your vehicle, and most of all, the route.  The route we all take, from Reynosa/Matamoras down to Acayucan and then crossing the isthmus, seems to be ok still.

Edit: I just saw the newest post and may be wrong about the safety of the  Texas> Veracruz> Oaxaca route, as it's the same as "ours".   I plan on driving down one more time to bring another car (old) but besides that, buses and planes are becoming our choice.  Traffic is dangerous in Mexico as well, more and more uneducated and untrained drivers on the road, passing blindly on curves and hills.  No law, no control makes for a higher risk situation as the population grows. On the other hand, the highways are getting better and better.

Still doable, but.  As far as the advice of those who drove years ago, well, times have changed and the scoundrels are on the rise now.  It seems that more care and huevos and maybe sense of humor are required than ever. And luck.


Cheers,
Steve

hey steve...what roads were you on south from reynosa...skipping veracruz...planning to use the largest toll roads...wishing there was some way to ditch the car...but looks like we have to drive the gauntlet one last time...thanks manos

Me?  I haven't driven in a few years, but the route, which many take,including my friends whom I quoted, is also the same that all the guatemalen vehicle importers use when the caravan.  I assume the caravans of importers still run.


I can't remember much detail, but...

Through  Tamalipus, bypassing Tampico with the road that goes around.  Then through Alamo,Veracruz bypassing Tuxpam and all that.  There is a bypass now for Poza Rica also I think I remember.  Then follow the 180? is that it?  down the coast towards Veracruz, getting over onto the cuota just before Veracruz that goes around it. Cardel, I think it is.   I remember a mess in there somewhere, similar to the one around Tampico, but...  Then there is another quota in there that heads straight to Acayucan.  From there, regular highway crossing the isthmus into Oaxaca and over to La Ventosa.  From there, up or down the West coast as desired. 

Hope that helps.

thanks...be well

Thanks for all the advice I will keep it all in mind I will be leaving here (Florida) next weekend. My husband is already in Reynosa, waiting on me. Just keep us in your prayers that we have a safe passage. We will be traveling the quotas, you can be sure and not traveling at night. Do you have much trouble when crossing over with stuff such as mostly kitchen wear, like pots, cake pans,dishes? I do have an old 32 inches TV I was planning on taking and clothes of ours. Thanks for all the advice.

Waukeenah Wonder

waukeena...when we crossed at reynosa, our car was full to the brim with used household stuff...the first adyauana.(sp) nearest the crossing we were waved through..a few miles after the crossing, you will come to another adyauana  check point...there you will either get passed through without a look...or stopped to check what you are taking...pretty random...and they have always been respectful there...this time, they looked and we said,,,all used household stuff...not much value...i think i remember the gal just kind of gave it a random value and the additional tax we had to pay there was maybe a total of $30 bucks...and gave us paperwork that showed we paid the additional tax...when we got stopped in tampico, they tried to say we had more than the additional tax paperwork showed...we said no, it was evaluated by the customs officer...and official...they tried to use it as leverage to scare us into bribing...(which we did eventually give in to the bribe... well...along the way a few bribes that for us totaled $615...which really made me question how much i was saving by hauling so much instead of buying once we got to oaxaca)  we also saw them hassle a mexican family with car full and bundles covered with plastic on the roof...so it is pretty random)  if you stick to your used junk description...and anything you are taking that is new...take it out of the packaging...so not so obvious...you should be just fine...if you find yourself feeling really pressured...remind them you are a us citizen, and not doing anything wrong...no drugs, no arms, no big electronics for resale...if you decide to give into a bribe...maintain you have very little money...and $20 might get you out of it...many people say don't give into bribes...but in our experience, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't...trust your instincts as you drive...if something doesn't feel right...it is not right...bless your self, your car, your day and do what you have to do...you will be fine...cartels don't want you, and the cops probably will realize you don't have much to give...so trust in the universe, be smart, be alert and again follow your instincts...that's why you have been given them...don't worry, soon you will be reunited with your husband, and all will be well...i will carry you in my heart...as will all who love you...sometimes i think...it's not as bad as what some people must endure...thinking of all the countries in conflict in the world...you will be fine...

Thanks so much! God Bless you and your family too.

Waukeenah in Florida! Once I get there I will write and let you know that we arrived safe.

The area just south of Reynosa has a particularly bad reputation. Were I in your shoes, I would drive a bit farther up the line and cross at Laredo. But no matter where you cross, strictly obey the speed limit until you get a good bit south of the border area. Stopping "speeders" is a favorite ruse.

The good news is that the overwhelming majority of Mexico is safer than the United States. Believe it.

Its safe. drive in the early am and stop around 6pm. stay away from bars/nightclubs/ and the like and you will avoid 99% of the troubles in Mexico. make sure to buy a good Mexican map, Garmin and other GPS devices often take you right through the center of towns (I hate that); extra driving times and sometimes cops will stop you- looking for a bribe. You can pay the bribe or don't speak any Española and wait it out, they will eventually just tell you to go! if they speak English and want to "save you all the money and trouble of paying a fine" (ba-lonie); insist on following them to the police station to pay your fine and this will call there bluff and they will let you go with no charge. If you did legitimately break the law, just pay the "bite", its usually small, negotiable and will save you 30+ minutes of haggling. have a good trip. Colima is hot!

I just drove in and around Reynosa.  I would recommend only driving on major highways and NEVER drive at night.   The less attention you bring to yourself, the better off you'll be.  A 2005 vehicle won't draw attention by cartel and, if it's in good condition, it won't draw attention from corrupt transit police.  Typically, they only want to mess with very poor people with messed up cars.  The drug cartel is concerned about people with alot of money.  So, as long as you look like you are neither of those two - and if you drive only during the day - you should be fine.

We just returned from Puerta Vallarta, Guadalajara and Talpa Jalisco without any problems.We entered Reynosa through Anzuldas bridge and went by autopista to .Zacatecas  to Guadalajara  Guadalajara to Puerta Vallarta  by autopista    We returned from Guadalajara to Reynosa by Aguaclientes  by autopista spending $970 pesos Cannot put price on safety.
No one stopped or searched us,
We had our permit on the windshield and visa,   November we plan on going to PozA Rica  Vercruz. Does anyone know if there autopista all the way from Reynosa to PozA Ricz?? Thank you

We drove down this year through Eagle Pass Piedras Negras just to avoid Reynosa etc.  I used to always drive through Reynosa or Matamoras, and take 180 down through Tampico>Veracruz to the Isthmus.  But I've seen some indication that Tamalipus and even Veracruz are pretty bad these days, maybe worse than Monterey and Juarez.   Tamaulipus and especially tampico seem to be suffering from a plague of sequestering these days, apart from the "balaceros" in the border cities..

Apart from potential crime,  the route South past Tampico, Poza Rica, etc has a lot of two-lane and small towns, which is slow, dangerous to be on and exposes you to more hassle. There are auto-pistas in small sections and around Veracruz especially, but there's a lot of slow highway on that route.

Taking our new route, Eagle Pass>Saltillo> Matehuala>Arco del Norte>Puebla  was beautiful and easy.  We were nervous the first day driving into Mexico after 8 years of just flying.  But  Aduana and Migra were easy on the border and interior checkpoint.  We stopped and bought cheese from an Amish (or whatever they are) man with a very neat little farm and store.  We asked him if things were peaceful around there.  He said that more recently, pretty calm, but the previous few years had been scary.  Ok..

As we got to the Saltillo area, I did realize that connecting to 59 from Laredo would be significantly quicker and still avoid most of Tamalipus.  Next time.   As the hours of good highway went on, no problems at all,  We got enough confidence that we decided to drive into the evening to make it to Matehuala. 

Just after dark, we came over a hill into a roadblock with a line of cars and trucks.  We were quickly hiding the Garmin, good cell phones etc to avoid temptation and so almost got up to the stop before I got a look.  It was a group of unmarked vehicles in the median and a few normally dressed men and an empty canopy setup for vehicles.  They were passing everybody with a quick chat or just a wave.  We came up, my Mexican wife and I    The guy approaching was 50, slacks, very pleasant, shook my hand. Where from, where to?  Lot of stuff in there what you got?  Around then, I notice the guy standing just behind and to his side is dressed in all black, wearing a ski mask and a weapon.  Hmm ....why is he the only guy in a mask?   Who are these guys?         

"Just the usual bunch of crap for living" was my typical answer about the loaded car (old Toyota wagon).   "well, you need to pull over there and we'll see."  he says.
I flinched.  "No, but you don't understand. We went through the Aduana at the border, we saw the Aduana at the checkpoint and we are approved, and have permission for our vehicle, our stuff."

He looked at me for a loong minute and said, "well, I imagine you want to get down the road.  Go on then."

Whew!  What did we almost get into?  Don't know.  I'd had a few encounters like that 10-15 years ago too, always got out of them too.  Anyway, 1 km after that, we see a highway patrol office just full of marked cars, no signs of life though.  Then we see four state police around three semis pulled over .  Then at the Pemex we see two truckloads of armed state police.  All within 5 km of that road block.

Rest of the trip to Oaxaca  was uneventful.

By the way, our Garmin for Mexico was very helpful, but no, don't trust.  Always verify and make your own route decisions and just use it as an active map.  Not nearly as good as google, say.

Basically, we took 57 (not 59) down.  I don't have a map at hand.   You have to do some permutations from Eagle Pass to stay on it, but then it goes all the way down to the "arco del Norte" to get around DF. 

So, you have business or family in Poza Rica?   Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it.  If so, I'd be looking at taking 57 down and see if there's an autopista from DF to Poza Rica (I think) that you can catch.  Otherwise, I'd look further South for good destinations or stopovers.

We live in Moroleon and drive all over.  We go to Xtapa,etc.  Stay on the tolls roads and us the same common sense when you drive in the US.  Do not go, where you do not belong.
I feel very safe and have found everyone very helpful.

thanks
Sandy
Moroleon Gto

FelipeZapata wrote:

The area just south of Reynosa has a particularly bad reputation. Were I in your shoes, I would drive a bit farther up the line and cross at Laredo. But no matter where you cross, strictly obey the speed limit until you get a good bit south of the border area. Stopping "speeders" is a favorite ruse.

The good news is that the overwhelming majority of Mexico is safer than the United States. Believe it.

Three things I can totally agree with. One is rethink all of the stuff, for the most part old pots, pans, and T.V.'s are just making things riskier, taking up space, and not worth loading into your vehicle. They can easily be replaced, and believe it or not they may cost less. There are places like Mercadolibre where you can order just about anything.

We returned to Mexico 5 months ago. The route was thoroughly planned using crime statistic maps. Which meant we avoided places like Tijuana or Juarez. Other than a flat tire due to pot holes we had no problem. Give yourself plenty of time to make it to the next town before dark , and stay on the toll roads which are much safer and there will be help if you have a breakdown or flat. The road crew came to change our flat with in 10 minutes. That's part of what your toll fee pays for. It's better as Felipe says to go to a safer crossing, and over all Mexico is safer than the U.S.

In my experience, Mexico is safe, from California to Campeche, I would, however, to avoid zones controled by drug cartels, other than that, driving in Mexico is excellent, and in case you feel like you want some extra protection, get a car insurance when crossing the border. is my case, I always use BestMex, the quotes are great and the coverage are even beter, that is my experience.

I will be leaving the united states to go join my other half in Colima Mexico. I was wondering if anyone can tell me where I should go through at and which roads are the safest. Possibly at which point I should stop. Any help would be great. I will be traveling with a 12 passanger van or a Yukon XL since we have 7 children that I will be traveling with. Thank you in advance.

I drove from LA to Puerto Vallarta with a lady friend through Nogales, and from PV to Chicago via Colombia Bridge.(Better than Laredo but takes a few more kilometres. (Quick crossing) and had no trouble either trip.
Remember to travel only in daylight and stay on the toll roads. (They're marvellous).   Much of the journey is boring in either case so make sure the youngsters have things to occupy themselves with.

Kuandika, was this recently? Also can you tell me the major toll road that you took and were would be a good place to stay or yowny along the way. Im just very nervous. Lol. We will hopefully be taking at lease color crayons and movie device maybe.

Nogales is definitely the best border crossing. Are you coming from Portland Oregon ? If so , I would cross over to Arizona in California. Take the Nogales border crossing fairly early because borders can take a lot of time. My next stop would be Hermosillo and The Lucerna which is a secure reliable hotel. Booking.com can tell you a lot about areas and hotels.
Try to stay on the Quota roads they are safer and provide road service for break downs included in the toll fee. Be sure you have lots of pesos for those tolls. They don't do U.S., and make sure you get a import sticker when you cross the border that could cost 2-$300 U.S., but they refund the money when the vehicle is returned to the U.S.
You can also get Mexican auto insurance at the border on in advance on the internet. U.S. really won't cover you. It's pretty safe to drive other than the potholes and speed bumps you should be fine. I cross one of the borders at least every 6 months so I have been between Nogalas and the Yucatan numerous times. Have a box of Kleenex, or a roll of toilet paper for bathroom breaks. Toilet paper is not a guarantee.
Do you speak Spanish ? if not try to learn key phrases like  lleno con What ever type gas you use. ( fill it with ...) There are some free translators for kindle that don't require internet which could help with basics. 
Good luck

Thank you for your assistance. Will I make it to Hermosillo before dark to nogales and then move on to the next place? I am completely fluent in Spanish and can read and write it also. Will the roads say quota road or what am I looking for? Is it one hwy from nogales port of entry to Hermosillo. I will be leaving Portland Oregon also. If you could offer up more in depth assistance to me that would be wonderful. My email is jilliannrivera@gmail.com. this has become difficult on trying to figure out all this on my own. Plus I have never been to Mexico and now will be going with my seven children to join the family.

The advice about toll roads is excellent.

Tolls are high, so have plenty of cash in pesos handy.

Some of the toll plazas have parking areas with a convenience store and restrooms.
They are clean and safe and if there's no toilet paper an attendant should be able to get some.
If not, the convenience store sells it.

Almost every Pemex (gas) station has a convenience store.  Again, if there isn't any toilet paper or attendant, the convenience store sells toilet paper.

The toll roads are expensive but they are so much faster and smoother that the savings in gas and maintenance make them the preferred alternative.

All of the driving I've done in Mexico has been in a fairly new but far from luxurious compact or mid sized car.  Most of it has been on toll roads, but there have been some long stretches on secondary roads especially in the state of Michoacan, one of the drug capitals, to reach scenic, natural and cultural attractions with never a problem.

I can't make any guarantees but I suspect that danger is exaggerated by orders of magnitude in the press.  That's not to say that it isn't higher than most of the US.

Okay thank you. I am also looking for specific information about which toll roads I will be taking are they pretty well marked.

jiiliannrivera wrote:

Okay thank you. I am also looking for specific information about which toll roads I will be taking are they pretty well marked.

I should probably leave these details to people who know the route.
My experience in trip planning has been that Google Maps always chooses toll roads to calculate the shortest drive time.  You can add intermediate stops based on where you want to spend the night.  Signage is excellent but there are times going through cities on surface streets where you can easily miss the sign to the toll road.

Google Maps Street View might solve that problem by showing you landmarks.
A smartphone, Mexican chip and data package plus Google maps on the phone might be a good investment.  If you don't speak Spanish, it might take help from someone buying the chip and data package.

Thank you. I speak fluent Spanish so hopefully I will be good.

Google is your best friend road wise. Use it now to map a route. The locals are very pleasant and friendly for the most part and they will help you. It is great that you speak Spanish, that will make your trip much easier.
Between booking and google you should be able to make a plan that will make you comfortable.

If you go to the Lucerna they will be more than willing to advise also. As far as the roads go the signs will give you options of the Quota or Libre routes. It has been rare when that option was not clear. Unlike the U.S. the road signs do not repeat and repeat themselves. Often a sign will post something only once or twice before the turn off so stay vigilant. A GPS is pretty much useless except for the major roads. There will be a sign for Hermosillo not far from the border.

As for the toilet paper it's kind of late to go to the OXXO attached to the Pemex when you rush in to the bathroom. It's also possible that that Pemex is one of the lesser Pemexs that does not have a store as yet and is selling toilet paper at 3 pesos a piece in front of the bathroom. Not all Quota crossings have bathrooms, most do, but not all. I would rather have paper I know the history of so I always have a roll on the floor.

As for safety the roads are generally in pretty good repair ( Quotas), the driving is quite a bit more skilled than the U.S. and faster on the Quotas. The side streets can have killer pot holes and speed bumps which may or may not be marked so figure if you are coming into a town,  really slow down, look for bump signs and observe the car ahead. If the car in front is signaling left on a straight away they are possibly suggesting that you pass them. It's one of the little habits here. They may also signal left while passing someone else, especially trucks.
As far as others go, the roads in Mexico are generally much safer than the U.S. as long as you give the border towns near Texas a very wide birth. You shouldn't be any where near them.

Thank you. I see that Hermosillo is about 4 hours from boarder. So maybe bathroom break. Then travel to lucerna to stay the night and proceed the next day.

I have made the trip from the border at Laredo, Tx to Cuernavaca, Morelos many times.  In addition, we have traveled throughout southern Mexico.  I live in Tepoztlan which is near Cuernavaca.  I have some basic practices I follow.

First I plan my trips to Cuenrnavaca as well as our adventurous trips to Oaxaca, Puebla, (Taxco) Guerrero, Vera Cruz and Chiapas using toll roads.  Occasionally we have to go part of the way without the security of the toll roads when they are not available.  Probably more than 95% of our travel is on the toll roads.  I plan travel from Texas to cross the border as early in the morning as is possible as long as the sun is at least coming up.  I am never in a border town on the Mexico side at dark.

Second, we try to do most all of our driving during daylight hours.  Many times I reach Mexico City at dark and will finish my one hour trip to Cuernavaca in the dark.  The worst thing is driving through Mexico City.  The traffic is horrible even at night and the signage is not as helpful as our signage in the states.

Third, don't look or act wealthy and be polite.  In other words leave the diamond and gold jewelry at home or secure it where it would be difficult to find.

The most aggravating situation is when the state or local police stop you and make up infractions to get money from you.  They usually start out asking for 5000 pesos and the 2 times it has happened to me I was able to convince them that I only had 1000 pesos or so in cash.  That is all I ever have in my wallet. One other time I had just received a piece of paper indicating I had already paid an hour earlier and so I got by with enough for the police to buy a couple of "refrescos".

My experience with other stops has been good.  Occasionally the military have check points where they have done a simple vehicle search. They have always looked very serious but never gave us any problem.  I have been stopped by the federal police as well.  They have always been friendly.  They would check my passport etc. and send me on my way with a "muy amable" from the officers.  I am sure to be polite and friendly to all officials no matter how ridiculous their claim.

I believe it also makes a difference if you can speak at least some Spanish.  Finally, I would not travel without a cell phone from Mexico or at least one that works in Mexico.  On the toll roads they have service for people in trouble.  The number will be posted along the toll road.  I have not had to use it but I understand it is free.  If I had to use it I would most likely give the person coming to help a nice tip.

Have a nice trip.

Hi! My husband and I drive to Mexico every winter from Oregon. We cross at Nogales and find it the easiest. I have written a book on the routes we drive, tips for crossing, fun things to do, and lots more. It is called "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico". If you would like me to loan you a copy for two weeks, let me know your email address. You can view the sample of it on Amazon.com by clicking here:
"Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" eBook (amazon.com/Healthy-Living-Traveling-Mexico-Sunshine-ebook/dp/B00R6NTBKO)
Have a good trip!
Terry L. Turrell

No one can tell you for sure if it is safe or not safe to drive in Mexico. It is like asking is it safe to walk in Mexico? One day it may be safe, other day it may be not. It also depends on a place and time, at night it may be not safe, in the northern states closer to the US it may be not safe. But no one can reassure you that driving say in some places of Veracruz at night is safe, even for locals it may be not safe there.

Auto Mechanic wrote:

No one can tell you for sure if it is safe or not safe to drive in Mexico. It is like asking is it safe to walk in Mexico? One day it may be safe, other day it may be not. It also depends on a place and time, at night it may be not safe, in the northern states closer to the US it may be not safe. But no one can reassure you that driving say in some places of Veracruz at night is safe, even for locals it may be not safe there.

And then again, it might very well be safe.

I'd say most of the million or so Americans living in Mexico have never had to fear for their safety.
Some of the locals in the city of Zacatecas have complained/talked/wrote about crime in the last 6 years.
I know of only 2, maybe 3 incidents that may have been associated with the drug violence plastered all over the US media.

Are there any guarantees?  No.

It is safe to drive in Mexico. As with driving in the U.S. there are tips for where,  when, and how to drive to avoid trouble. In many ways, I feel safer driving in Mexio than in the U.S. Driving during the day, driving on Cuota Roads when possible, and avoiding hanging out in border towns where the most trouble is--those are our first 3 rules. Last year we drove from Nogales down the Pacific, across to the Yucatan, back up the Gulf of Mexico, through mountain cities and back to Nogales with no problems and we meet many RVers who say the same. Of course, extra caution is advised in some areas of turmoil. Mexico is a beautiful country with beautiful, peace-loving people. We will drive our RV there again this year for the 11th time, and look forward to it.