time ▁driving ▁is ▁particularly ▁ha z ard ous ▁as ▁vehicles ▁frequently ▁lack ▁head light s ▁and / or ▁ta ill ights , ▁and ▁bra ke ▁lights ▁are ▁often ▁burn ed ▁out . ▁With ▁few ▁exceptions , ▁Cot on ou ▁and ▁other ▁cities ▁lack ▁any ▁street ▁light ing , ▁and ▁light ing ▁on ▁roads ▁between ▁population ▁cent ers ▁is ▁non - ex istent . ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁numerous ▁car jack ings ▁and ▁rob ber ies ▁on ▁roads ▁in ▁Ben in ▁after ▁dark , ▁several ▁of ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁murder ▁when ▁the ▁driver ▁refused ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁the ▁ass ail ants ' ▁dem ands . ▁The ▁National ▁Police ▁period ically ▁conduct ▁vehicle ▁checks ▁at ▁prov is ional ▁road block s ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁improve ▁road ▁safety ▁and ▁reduce ▁the ▁increasing ▁number ▁of ▁car jack ings . ▁ ▁Water ▁Ben in ' s ▁water ways ▁are ▁navig able ▁along ▁small ▁sections , ▁but ▁are ▁only ▁locally ▁important . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁ports ▁in ▁Ben in , ▁Cot on ou , ▁a ▁rail head , ▁and ▁Porto - N ovo . ▁ ▁The ▁country ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁a ▁merchant ▁marine . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Ben in ▁had ▁only ▁ 1 5 0   km ▁of ▁navig able ▁water ways , ▁which ▁consisted ▁of ▁its ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ▁River , ▁which ▁forms ▁the ▁country ' s ▁northern ▁border . ▁Reg ular ▁transport ation ▁services ▁from ▁Par ak ou ▁to ▁Mal an ville ▁and ▁th ence ▁to ▁Ni ame