Driving in Guatemala - risk of hijacking?

Many many people drive in Guat without any incident never mind one of the serious nature you are suggesting. Avoid driving at night and if another car is trying to get you to pull over for any reason do so only in a populated place. If you are of a particularly nervous disposition then independent travel of this type may not suit you, but odds on you'll be fine...

Guatemala, despite media and occasional Thorn Tree poster depictions to the contrary, is not Afghanistan or the CAR. Hiring a car is a perfectly safe option so long as you're comfortable driving abroad and exercise a little common sense. In general, try to avoid being on the road at night--not so much because of robberies, but because of tired/reckless drivers and lower visibility.

I work in Guatemala and spend a lot of time scooting around Guatemala City and Peten (and on the highway between the two) in private vehicles. I've never had a serious problem, and my occasional dealings with the police have always been easy.

Get a good map of Guatemala City and Guatemala. Guatemala City is a big hectic city that must be transversed to go east and west on good blacktop roads. The roads on the maps that look like they are a shortcut north or around the city are little more than dirt roads and take 5 times as long to travel as the road through the urban area. The back roads in general have poor signage, a compass is a good idea when deciding on which fork in the road is the right one.

I've never had any trouble on the road from fellow travelers. Driving at night can be tricky because of slow moving vehicles without lights and animals in the road. Getting hijacked is more likely in urban areas the world over, keep your doors locked and your windows up in town. You'll be fine .

Nothing is 100% safe. There is some risk of something happening anywhere. But all hazards considered - hijacking, road rage, accidents, etc. - you should be safer on your noted route than driving in a country such as the USofA, which is where I do most of my driving. Will you be driving to any other towns around Lake Atitlan besides Panajachel?

Buen viaje!

Nothing is 100% safe. There is some risk of something happening anywhere. But all hazards considered - hijacking, road rage, accidents, etc. - you should be safer on your noted route than driving in a country such as the USofA, which is where I do most of my driving. Will you be driving to any other towns around Lake Atitlan besides Panajachel?

Buen viaje!

yes, hijacking is a much more common in the US

Native Spanish speaker is one thing but is he a native Latin American driver? The main roads in daylight are pretty good. However fold don't always take driving lessons no get turn signals or break lights fixed. So you put on your seat belt and play the guessing game. Best to have two people in the front seat always alert for what ever happens. Is the drive ahead of you going to stop or what? Keep all the door locked at all times. There are other options besides the chicken bus like shuttles. I usually go for a private Guat shuttle with a driver who knows what to expect on the road in Guatemala. You can also go by group shuttles but who wants to be cramped in. I like to sit up front so I can see for myself what is coming.

I think everyone's missing the point here... OP doesn't seem to know much about transport in Guate at this point, and personally I don't suggest that first-timers jump in a car just because they think it'll feel more "free" or something. That's the kind of mistake that folks make while planning for the trip back home over lattes and thinking that a car will be the most effective option, when it's really just added stress and hassle.

There is very little reason not to use shuttles or just go with private drivers, which would come out to the same or less than renting a car and offer similar freedom. By saying that they "prefer not to take the chicken bus," OP shows that they really haven't done much real research here on how the country works. Very, very few tourists actually do the Guate tourist trail by camioneta.

Then again, it really does depend on the person. Some people feel like they must have their own car wherever they go and don't want to deal with being in anyone else's vehicle. I'd advise against it to anyone who hasn't been to the country first, but that's just me. The chances of carjacking are generally low, but they definitely go up – along with countless other issues – with unexperienced visitors behind the wheel driving in unfamiliar areas.

As for the folks insisting that the USA is much more dangerous for carjacking, it's a fair point, but it might help to follow the local news... there has been an major uptick of vehicle thefts in recent months, especially in the Izabal/Peten area, apparently from organized groups. There have been a few stories about it lately in Guate papers and apparently a mass arrest today in Peten. Motorcycles are apparently a main target and I know someone who was just relieved of theirs last week, but vehicles are too. The chances that a visitor would get hit with that are still minuscule, but they are still pretty real.

Using a private driver means that you're with someone who has seen all of the BS that the country's roads have to offer and knows how to deal with it.

I still like to use local buses on local runs (like around Antigua) and enjoy tuktuks and pickup trucks between villages on the lake. For the longer trips we take share shuttles or arrange a private driver, especially on routes like Panajachel to the airport because a private driver avoids the trip into Antigua for drop off and pick up that all the share shuttles make. With a private driver you get to pick the schedule and make planned or unplanned stops along the way. Unlike renting, you don't have to worry about navigation, choose hotels with protected parking, or miss places around Lake Atitlán that aren't convenient to drive to. In about 20 visits I haven't been tempted to rent. When I'm heading to Tikal I usually fly these days but used to take buses; I personally wouldn't be interested in that drive with a rental.

Here are 2 transportation providers I’ve been pleased with in Guatemala for share shuttles, private transfers, and flight arrangements:
Adrenalina Tours: http://www.adrenalinatours.com
Rainbow Travel: http://www.rainbowtravelcenter.com

Our favorite private driver, Alfredo Garcia, is bilingual, personable, prompt, and safe, and has nice vehicles: alf.transport@yahoo.com

Have a great trip, whatever you decide!