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All motorways are two lane dual carriageways and relatively free of traffic. Though they are only a few, toll free in the country. National roads can be slow, winding affairs as they pre-date motorways and general meander through towns and villages,
which have traffic calming lights and 'sleeping policemen'.
However local drivers do tend to ignore these
traffic lights, even when on red. Don't be tempted to follow
in their tyre treads though as the GNR (traffic police in
Portugal) are sending out more 'camera vans' to record and
fine such traffic violations in an attempt to reduce the
amount of road deaths in Portugal.
In more rural areas the roads are generally narrower and can be congested with local traffic including donkeys
and carts.
Though road conditions are improving quickly in
Portugal, driving standards are not.
They are among the worst in Europe. Even the Portuguese admit there is a problem. Some drivers tailgate and others wait until the last possible moment to over take - usually on a blind corner or hill. As a result
Portugal records high numbers of road deaths each year,
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