The World Cup in South Africa is drawing closer and many fans will watch the biggest sporting event in the world live from the terraces in summer 2010. However, since there are sometimes large distances between stadiums and since South Africa has plenty of sightseeing opportunities to check out between football matches, you’re sure to be spending a fair bit of time on the road during your holiday, perhaps in a hire car. Therefore it’s high time you familiarised yourself with the rules and etiquette of driving in South Africa. ContiSoccerWorld has put together a top ten:

1.) Like the British, South Africans drive on the left. It is important to remember that the well-known rule of “giving way to the right” also applies when driving on the left. If you’ve never driven on the left, you should hire a car with automatic transmission. So, when you’re sitting on the “wrong side” of the car (the right-hand side) you won’t have to constantly change gears awkwardly with your left hand. Pedestrians please note that when you’re crossing the road you should look right first!

2.) In South Africa, the speed limit for motorways is 120 km/h, 100 km/h for country roads and 60 km/h in built-up areas. If you break the speed limit, you will be liable for a hefty fine or even a prison sentence.

3.) International driving licences are required by law. Although in most cases, it is possible to hire a car with a national driving licence, the police take a very dim view of this. If you are caught without a driving licence in English, you should expect trouble.

4.) You are required by law to wear a seatbelt both in the front and back seats.

5.) For Europeans, the traffic lights (known as “robots” in South Africa) are on the “wrong” side of the road – that is on the far side of the oncoming traffic and are therefore often overlooked. Locals tend to see the red light as a virtual green arrow and use it as a sign to turn off the main road. However, this is not the case and it is better to wait for the real green light.

6.) Stop signs at junctions marked with "4" or "4 Way" indicate that none of the four roads has right of way so the first person to arrive has right of way. White lines marked across the road at junctions also mean that you must stop.

7.) Illegal parking can cost you dearly both in terms of money and time, especially when the wheel clamps come out. Therefore, you should be aware that clearways are indicated by an “S” with a line through it and areas with no parking are indicated by a “P” with a line through it. “B” means that only buses are allowed to park and “L” indicates loading areas in which parking is also prohibited.

8.) Elephants, giraffes, lions etc always have right of way on roads in the national parks. The speed limit on asphalt roads is 50 km/h, 40 km/h on dirt tracks and 20 km/h in campsites. Outside campsites, vehicles can only be left in designated rest areas. You should keep doors and windows locked as some monkeys are clever enough to open car doors and have absolutely no respect for foreigners’ picnic baskets!

9.) Most garages accept cash only and no credit cards. In South Africa, diesel is known as “gasoil” and petrol is referred to as “regular”. Since there are many older vehicles on the road in South Africa, you can still get leaded petrol at petrol stations. In rural areas, many petrol stations are closed on Sundays. Garages rarely allow self-service but provide clear signs if this service is available. It is normal to give a 2 Rand tip to have your car filled up and your windows cleaned.

10.) The blood alcohol limit in South Africa is 0.05%.

Additional tips:

- To avoid an excessively bumpy ride on the numerous dirt roads, we advise that you reduce your tire pressure a little. Ideally you should discuss the details of this with the rental company.

- Illegal parking attendants sometimes ask for money when you’re parking. Therefore, parking meters have recently been installed in most cities which you pay for using a card. These parking cards are only available from official parking attendants or the local tourist office. Most official parking attendants wear yellow or orange jackets. It is also customary to offer them a 2 Rand tip for watching your vehicle.

- Cars are sometimes washed while the owner is away. It’s up to the driver to decide whether he/she wants to leave a tip.

- Members of European motor clubs are eligible for free breakdown assistance from the South African Automobile Association (AA). However, you must show your membership card. You can contact the breakdown service on freephone number 0800-010101. The emergency number for the police anywhere in South Africa is 10111

- On national roads, you’re allowed to drive on the wide hard shoulder to allow faster cars to overtake. If you let someone past, he/she will acknowledge this with a brief flash of his/her hazard warning lights. When overtaken, it is customary to flash your lights in return.

- If you plan to take a hire car to neighbouring countries, you should discuss this with the rental company beforehand. Trips to Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland are usually permitted. However, trips to Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia are generally out of bounds.

- Hitchhiking is not recommended in South Africa.