Speed Traps on the Pan American Highway
(panamalady.com) Driving between David and Panama City is no longer an easy drive. The Pan American Highway is full of speed traps. Speed traps exist everywhere in the world but usually you know the rules. Here, the rules aren’t that obvious.
One would assume that you can drive the normal 100 km/hour on a major highway. Don’t assume anything like that here as I found out on my last trip. This trip, between Panama City and Santiago, there were at least four speed traps and I avoided all of them, based on my previous experience (I got a $50 ticket and lost 4 points).
Most of the drive between Panama City and David must be done at a speed much lower than 80 km/hr. Driving takes more than 6 hours now therefore, the average speed is more like 75 km/hr. Ridiculous !!!
Anyhow, here is the secret. None of the speed limits seem to be posted. Between David and Santiago, the maximum posted speed is 80 km/hr, and every time you see a “reduiza la velocidad” - drop to 50 km or 60 km. When you see “reasuma la velocidad”, you can speed up to 80 km.
Between Santiago and Panama City, there is a limited stretch that you can travel at 100 km/hr but in other areas where you see the “reduiza” or “reasuma” signs, you have to drop right down to 50 km/hr.
It isn’t obvious why you have to drive so slowly or why the speed limits are so low. My only guess is that there are many schools that are built close to the highway and the police officer who gave me the ticket explained to me that “wherever there are houses, you must drive no more than 60 km/hour”.
So consider yourselves informed.
