Being in an automobile accident in Mexico is a far more serious situation than having an accident at home-especially for a visiting American, as Mr. Bill Kitto readily tells us. Bill published his first-hand account of his accident and his subsequent week in the hands of the Mexican authorities in an effort to ensure all Americans driving in Mexico go prepared with all the essentials.

After reading the story about his encounter, you will understand why he puts Mexican car insurance at the top of his list of essentials. He was driving a friend's truck at the time of his accident near San Vincente, Mexico. Bill Kitto had driven in Mexico before, so he was not a first time driver there.

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 was traveling at a cautious speed when he rounded a corner to find a Mexican military vehicle full of soldiers hurtling towards them partly on their side of the road. Unable to avoid a crash, the two vehicles impacted head-on left, sending the personnel scattered down a cliff and Bill and his friend into the wall on the opposite side.

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.

Because he did not know if his friend had Mexican car insurance, Bill was put in a Mexican jail cell, not knowing what would happen to him and with no contact with anyone outside.

Hours later, guards return to take him back to the accident scene where he is at least able to reunite with his friend and his friend's Mexican car insurance policy. In the U.S., this might mean problem solved, but in Mexico, there is much more to go through.

The entire story of Bill is lengthy and quite upsetting. He actually spends a week in a Mexican hospital without anyone by his side. Bill attempts to prolong his injuries so that he will avoid seeing the inside of a Mexican prison. He is completely at the mercy of the local government; an archaic technology; and shady legal counsel. At first it seemed that paying his way out of the situation is clearly not an option.

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 importantly -

BE CERTAIN YOU HAVE GOOD COVERAGE MEXICO CAR INSURANCE- It needs to cover ALL personal injury and property damage that you are deemed to have caused.

Verify that your Mexico auto insurance is from a quality insurance 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 getting your hands on $30,000 in a flash is too far-fetched for many of us to imagine, the best way to prevent this kind of incident from occurring is to drive in Mexico with quality Mexico automobile insurance and adequate limits.