Are there police checkpoints and speed traps in Morocco, and what should I expect?

Checkpoints are a normal, daily part of driving in Morocco, and the first few will rattle you if nobody's warned you. The Gendarmerie Royale (out on the open roads) and police (in the cities) set up posts at the entrances and exits of towns, at major junctions and on approaches to sensitive areas. You'll see a cluster of officers, sometimes a striped barrier, and a hand signal to either slow through or pull in.

Ninety-five percent of the time, as an obvious tourist in a rental car, you get a glance and a wave. When they do stop you, they want to see papers — licence (and IDP), passport, the rental agreement, and the car's documents, which live in the glovebox. Keep all of it together and within reach so you're not digging around. Be relaxed, say bonjour, a smile goes a long way. Officers are generally professional and courteous.

The genuine catch is speed. Radar is everywhere — both fixed cameras and officers with handheld guns just past a speed-limit sign, classically right where a 100 zone drops to 60 at a village. Moroccan limits change abruptly as you approach habitation, and the fines are issued and paid on the spot in cash (keep a receipt). The defence is boringly effective: lift off and obey the signs religiously every time you near a town.

If you're stopped for an alleged offence, stay polite and matter-of-fact. Pay any legitimate on-the-spot fine and ask for the official ticket. The overwhelming majority of these interactions are clean and by-the-book. Don't get drawn into anything that doesn't involve a written receipt, and don't get aggressive — calm and courteous resolves everything fastest.

I won't pretend it's not a low-grade stressor, especially for first-timers more used to motorways than a gendarme's raised palm. It's one of those friction points that melts away with a local driver, who reads the rhythm of these stops in his sleep. But it's entirely manageable solo — drive to the signs, keep your paperwork tidy, and treat every officer with easy good humour.