World City Guide

Getting There By Road

Southern California has an excellent network of interstate and state highways. Interstates are designated by an ‘I’ and a corresponding number. Speed limits on interstate highways vary from 96kph (60mph) to 120kph (75mph). Urban speed limits are generally 40-48kph (25-30mph). Traffic drives on the right. U-turns are legal in the State of California, unless posted otherwise, as is turning right at stoplights. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. The minimum driving age is 16, with restrictions. Children under the age of six years or less than 22.39kg (60lb) must be carried in a child restraint seat.

California does not require International Driving Permits. It accepts all foreign driving licences. Car insurance is mandatory in the state of California.

The local automobile association is Automobile Association of Southern California – AASC (tel: (800) 400 4222) a regional affiliate of the American Automobile Association. There is a reciprocal service agreement between the AAA and the UK AA.

Emergency breakdown services:
AASC (800) 400 4222
Good Sam RV Roadside Service (800) 905 9911

Routes to the city: San Diego is California’s most southern coastal metropolis. It is the hub of three major interstate highway systems – I-5 (running north–south from the US–Canada border to the US–Mexico border), I-15, which begins in San Diego and runs northeast to Las Vegas, Nevada, and I-8 East, which also begins in San Diego and connects with I-10 outside of Phoenix, Arizona. San Diego also has a new east–west corridor, which is designed to accommodate the increased rush-hour traffic to suburban areas east of San Diego. This four-lane highway is still under construction but is expected to ease much of the congestion on San Diego’s main easterly corridor, the I-15. The I-5 is the connecting artery for most of California’s large cities – Los Angeles and San Francisco are both directly north of San Diego and are within a day’s commuting distance via I-5.

Approximate driving times to San Diego: From US–Mexico border – 45 minutes; Los Angeles – 2 hours 30 minutes; Phoenix (Arizona) – 5 hours 40 minutes; Las Vegas (Nevada) – 5 hours 45 minutes; San Francisco – 8 hours 45 minutes.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (800) 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) operates buses throughout the USA, as well as to numerous destinations in Canada and a limited number locations in Mexico, from the Greyhound Terminal (tel: (619) 239 3266), 120 West Broadway, at First Street. Tickets for specific destinations can be purchased at the terminal before the time of departure.