Travel security in Mexico varies according to location and time of day. Travelers are advised not to drive at night. This advice is based in part because in some regions robberies at night are not uncommon, and in part because of the condition of some Mexican roads, which may be potholed and contain (often unmarked) topes.
Those who had not driven in Mexico may also be unaware of the dangers of topes, a marvelous low-tech device that allows local communities to limit the speed of passing vehicles. Topes are fearsome relatives of the speed bumps familiar to drivers in many countries. In Mexico they can be quite high and quite narrow across. Sometimes it is all but impossible to drive a low-slung vehicle across them without banging the undercarriage. One piece of advice, approach them slowly and from a 45° angle so that your vehicle passes over them one wheel at a time.
Certain regions of Mexico are less secure than others. The southern part of the state of Chiapas is frequently described as dangerous. Travelers should consult their governmental authorities about the current state of security in Mexico.
Travelers should also exercise the usual precautions, not leaving apparently valuable objects in sight in parked vehicles, parking in secured areas where this is possible, and guarding their wallets and purses with case when in crowded areas like marketplaces, perhaps especially those that are covered.
All this being said, it is also true that great numbers of travelers visit Mexico repeatedly and never have security problems.
British Embassy - Mexico City
Río Lerma 71
Col Cuauhtémoc
06500 México DF
Telephone: (52) (55) 5242 8500
Facsimile: (52) (55) 5242 8517
Email: consular.mexico@fco.gov.uk Consular Section
Website: http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/mexico
British Consulate - Mexico City
c/o British Embassy, Consular Section
Rio Usumacinta 30
Col Cuauhtémoc
06500, México DF
Telephone: as Embassy
Facsimile: (52) (55) 5242 8523
Email: consular.section@fco.gov.uk
U.S. Embassy, Mexico City
http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/main.html
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Col. Cuauhtemoc
06500 Mexico, D.F
From the U.S.:
American Embassy Mexico
P.O. Box 9000
Brownsville, TX 78520-9000
TELEPHONE
From Mexico:
(01-55) 5080-2000
From the U.S.:
011-52-55-5080-2000
FAX
From Mexico:
(01-55) 5511-9980
From the U.S.:
011-52-55-5511-9980
Consulates:
Ciudad Juarez, Consulate-General
http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/
Guadalajara, Consulate-General
http://guadalajara.usconsulate.gov/guadalajara-eng.htm
Hermosillo, Consulate
http://usembassy.state.gov/hermosillo/
Matamoros, Consulate
http://matamoros.usconsulate.gov/
Nogales, Consulate
http://nogales.usconsulate.gov/
Nuevo Laredo, Consulate
http://nuevolaredo.usconsulate.gov/
Tijuana, Consulate
http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/