For an American visitor, a car accident in Mexico is a great deal more serious than the same type of accident would be at home according to Mr. Kitto. In his personal account of having a car accident and spending a week dealing with Mexican Authorities, Kitto hopes to alert all Americans planning to drive in Mexico of the need to be fully prepared.

Mexican car insurance is an important resource to possess, for reasons that become obvious as you browse his true story. Additionally, this was not the first time Mr. K. traveled to Mexico when he was involved in an accident in Southern Mexico, as he was driving a truck that belonged to his friend.

Bill is a very cautious driver and, since the road conditions were getting very bad because of a rain storm that was moving in, he was at the wheel. This meant he was dependent on the coverage of his friend’s Mexican insurance being adequate.

Bill and his friend were riding at a careful 30 KPH, but as they turned a corner, they were faced with the Mexican Federal military truck darting towards them - slightly on their side of the road. Without enough time to prevent a collision, the two vehicles crashed head-on left, causing the other vehicle to skid down an embankment. Bill and his friend made contact with the wall located on the opposite side of the road.

Within minutes, the Mexican police arrive and one speeds an injured Bill away to a location unknown to him or his companion who is left standing roadside. In Mexico, there is no ‘innocent until proven guilty’ - exactly the opposite.

Bill finds himself in a Mexican detention cell without any contact and without any knowledge of his fate, in part because at this point he has no way of knowing whether his friend even carried Mexican auto insurance.

After several hours, the guards took him back to the scene of the accident. His friend was there with his Mexican auto insurance policy. This would have been the end of the story in the US, but in Mexico it was just the beginning.

Bill’s complete story is long and involved-and not a little discomforting. Bill spends a week alone in a Mexican hospital trying his hardest to stay injured enough to avoid the inside of a Mexican jail; he’s at the mercy of the local government, questionable legal representatives, and muddled technology that makes what amounts to paying his way out an act in futility.

Much of the time, Bill was not sure if he could get free of this mess or if he would be able to afford the ‘fines’ to get out. Eventually, Bill was able to regain his liberty but it cost him in excess of $28,000 US. Fortunately for Bill, he was able to get the money to buy his freedom. This is not the case, though, for many Americans. They just don’t have access to that much money.

It is the disorganization and deceit found in Mexico that caused Bill to doubt if he would ever see a gain on his life’s venture. However, he learned a lot of things from his ordeal that he is determined to share with all of the Americans planning a trip to Mexico:

Be sure to have a cell phone or satellite phone on you at all times and learn the dialing codes in Mexico.

Remain in contact with family in the states that can help you secure funds if needed and contact Mexican insurance companies as needed (because your ability will be limited)

And most important -

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE-with very good coverage and limits to cover all personal injury and property damage.

Make sure the Mexican car insurance is from a reputable company.

Make sure you carry proof of Mexican Insurance in the vehicle, accessible at all times! (And if you are separated from the vehicle, take the Mexican car insurance ID cards with you!)

Mr. Kitto’s drawn-out and exhausting dilemma has proved one thing to him- money is what makes Mexican legalities disappear. Over there, they don’t care where the money originates, but only if you can pay the bill. Innocence plays a small role in these situations and it can mean the difference between receiving your freedom and losing your rights.

Since fast access to $30,000 or better is a pipe-dream for most of us, the best way to protect yourself when driving in Mexico is to have an excellent Mexican automobile insurance policy to back you with high enough limits.