Getting Pulled Over in Morocco

If you are hiring a car in Morocco and driving between cities, which we recommend, there is something nobody tells you before you go.

Police traffic stops are common on Moroccan roads. We got pulled over multiple times during our drive between Marrakesh, the Sahara and Fez. Twice we were fined on the spot and paid around A$30 each time directly to the officer. It felt less like a standard traffic infringement and more like an informal cash request. Whether it was legitimate or not we genuinely could not tell.

It is not necessarily something to be alarmed about but it is something to be prepared for.

Kristina's tip: Pull over calmly, be polite and cooperative and keep some small cash on you for this exact situation. And whatever you do, do not film the police. I made this mistake. The moment they saw my phone they became extremely agitated and threatened to take me to jail, telling me it was illegal to film them. I cannot stress this enough. Put the phone away the moment you are pulled over and do not get it out again until you are back on the road.