Driving in Brazil is not for everyone Click here to read article explaining how dangerous is driving in Brazil By Patricia Ribeiro, About.com Guide.
Driving behavior in Brazil can be dangerous, ranging from bad habits such as tailgating to road rage due reckless and aggressive drivers.
A 2004 study by SOS Estradas, a road safety program sponsored by Estradas.com.br, the largest Brazilian online road travel resource, pointed to a yearly death toll of 42,000 in traffic accidents in Brazil. According to the study, 24,000 of those deaths occurred on roads and highways. SOS Estradas linked 90% of deaths to road behavior and concluded one of the reasons the problem is so severe is impunity and the stupid Brazilian mentality.
Driving a car in Brazil involves the risk of theft and robbery. Although many cars in Brazil don't come with air conditioning, drivers in large cities may keep their windows rolled up at traffic lights known to be more dangerous even on the hottest days, in an attempt to minimize the risk of having either the car itself or the driver's valuables taken by an armed individual.
Motorcycle riders often make their way between lanes when traffic comes to a halt and even when it's flowing at regular speed. The problem is particularly serious in Sao Paulo, where motorcycle messengers "motoboys" do the riskiest moves in order to deliver their charges. Mototaxis, a popular alternative to unreliable public transportation or traffic jams in Brazilian cities of all sizes, can be just as daring. Apparently many mototaxi passengers would rather risk their safety than be late to work.
Some truckers in Brazil are safety-oriented drivers who watch out for smaller vehicles. Others are overworked or intoxicated people. Just in case, be constantly alert to all trucks.
Slow traffic at different times of day is a routine in large Brazilian cities. Holidays, storms and accidents often cause monster traffic jams in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Most streets in commercial districts are packed with pedestrians. Don't expect people to cross exclusively at pedestrian crossings. They may dodge cars, sometimes stopping in the middle of a street without a median while waiting for a chance to finish crossing over and if you stop for them, you could cause an accident because most drivers don't expect anyone to do that. Children in Brazil go to school for half the day. Several public high schools have classes in three periods, morning, afternoon and evening. That's four different times a day when the streets around schools are full of kids walking home or waiting for the bus. Many schools are located on busy avenues and they may have police officers on duty as crossing guards or not. Unfortunately, there are thousands of stray animals in the streets of Brazil, posing the risk of distractions and the need for sharp reflexes.
Brazilian roads range from very well-kept highways to roads with potholes the size of craters and impassable mud pits. Travelers must know road conditions.
In many Brazilian towns, following signs to your destination may work very well for a while, until they disappear all of a sudden and you have to stop at gas stations and roadside bars to ask for directions - probably from someone who doesn't speak English.
As an alternative to hiring a larger police force, many towns in Brazil resort to speed bumps. Some are huge and so steep they look like concrete cylinders. In theory, lombadas should be painted with bright stripes and there should be warning signs as well as signs at the bumps. But that doesn't always happen.
Drivers in Brazil need to be prepared to do parallel parking on narrow streets while traffic waits; maneuver in tight shopping mall garages; park far from their destination and walk; find a business that sells parking cards which must be filled out and left on the dashboard; pay for a parking lot with valet services.