Driving in Morocco: this habit that drives foreign drivers crazy

For a European used to well-lit roads and strict compliance with the highway code regarding glare, driving at night in Morocco can turn into a nightmare. The reason? The majority of drivers drive with their high beam headlights on permanently, even when they meet other vehicles. A habit that can seem aggressive or dangerous for the one facing it.

However, this practice is not a matter of incivility, but of necessity. As the driver explains, street lighting is often faulty, or even non-existent on many national and secondary roads. "Without high beams, you can’t see anything," he summarizes.

The danger is real: pedestrians on the side of the road, unlighted carts and especially free-roaming animals (dogs, livestock) that cross the road unexpectedly. In this context, seeing far is a matter of survival.

While in Europe, forgetting to turn off your high beams can result in a fine, in Morocco, it is a tacit norm. The authorities show great tolerance, aware that the precarious visibility forces drivers to maximize their lighting to avoid accidents. A local specificity with which tourists must cope: in Morocco, flashing your lights is not an insult, it’s a safety reflex.