Planning to rent a car in Uganda for a road tripping adventure for the first time? Driving on Ugandan roads for the first time can be challenging. Firstly, you won’t be familiar with Uganda’s traffic rules which must be adhered to and these differ from country to country. Secondly, the you will be driving on new routes. Not to have issues, we have come up with significant Uganda driving tips to keep you safe on a road trip.
Keep on the left side of the road. Unlike other outside countries, driving in Uganda requires you to stay on the left side of the road. Taking the right side puts you at a risk of colliding with the incoming traffic. This should be at the back of your mind if you plan to go self-drive in Uganda.
Driving while on phone is highly prohibited. A phone is notably one of the distracting factors when you are driving and can result into road accidents that come at a cost not money wise only but also to your life. Put your phone away or make the best use of blue tooth piece.
Wear a seat belt. Putting on your seat belt won’t cost you much but it is one precaution aimed at saving your life just in case of serious accidents. Therefore don’t forget to fasten your seat belts while on self-drive tour, driver guided safaris in Uganda.
Do not park anywhere while on a road trip in Uganda. When driving in Uganda, take advantage of the designated parking spaces to avoid parking unnecessarily which may lead your rental car to be impounded, vandalized or to be charged when you never planned for such expenses.
Observe all traffic signs. All traffic signs must be observed while on self-drive tours or driver guided safaris. The significant traffic signs to observe when driving in Uganda include speed limit, sharp turn ahead, poster signs, traffic lights, no parking etc.
Over speeding isn’t allowed. It is estimated that about 80% of the Uganda road accidents are as a result of over speeding. When driving, be keen enough and ensure you drive within the speed limit as indicated on the road signs.
Never drive under the influence of alcohol. Driving when drunk is a dangerous move that puts you and the rest of the visitors at a risk. Alcohol is known for its negative impact on human judgement and steadiness. Therefore, in case you feel tipsy, let another person take over to avoid putting yourselves into risk of getting road accident or even being arrested on the way by police officers.
Carry a valid drivers permits. Without a valid driver permits, driving in Uganda or anywhere can be challenging for you. Your rental car can be impounded and to be safe, have your valid drivers permit ready or international driver license/an authorization document in case of international/foreign residents.
Be apologetic when on wrong. When caught on the wrong side of the law, learn to be apologetic as much as possible rather than creating unnecessary arguments. The more you argue, the more you waste time or even make simple things get worse.
