Driving in Uganda- A Guide To Driving To Ensure Safety

Driving in Uganda can surely be a thrilling experience when having a Uganda road trip on a self drive Uganda adventure, nevertheless, it requires careful planning, attention to detail and a good understanding of the country’s driving conditions for road safety. Driving in Uganda can be challenging especially for foreign visitors who want to do self drive in Uganda.  In this article, we will take you through what you need to know to drive safely in Uganda so as to have a safe self drive Uganda safari adventure while driving in Uganda

Let’s start it off like this;

Obtain a driving license:

A driving license is an official document that grants permission to operate a motor vehicle in Uganda, that is to say, a driving license gives you the permission to drive a car in Uganda

Before you start your self driving in Uganda, ensure you have a valid driving license, for foreign clients, you will need to have a driving license that is accepted internationally.

Uganda driving licenses have classes for driving different kinds of vehicles, and in Uganda, the Uganda driving licensing system is responsible for the issuing of driving permits in Uganda

Check your vehicle condition:

Before hitting the road in Uganda for self drive, always make sure that you inspect your vehicle thoroughly. The question is, what exactly should I inspect? Ask yourself no more, the solution to that is here.

• Tires: look at the tires carefully, ensure that the car does not have any tire with a puncture, and look out for any wear and tear on the tires. Always ensure that you have a spare tire with you before driving in Uganda.
• Fluids: check the engine oil levels, check the coolant, brake fluid levels etc and if they are low, always make sure that you refill them to the required level hence road safety in Uganda
• Battery: ensure that the battery is well clamped and does not make any movements, check the terminals and ensure that they are clean
• Lights: ensure that all the vehicle lights are working. These include; the car indicators, headlights, brake lights, reverse lights and so on.
• Air filter: check and change the air filter if its dry
• Wipers: check and ensure that the wipers are in good condition and make sure that they are fully functioning.
• Horn: test the horn and make sure it is fully functional
• Safety equipment: make sure the seatbelts are all functional, well installed. Make sure the car has a spare tire, a wheel spanner and a car jack.

Familiarize yourself with Uganda road signs

Uganda road signs are an essential element in order to have safe driving in Uganda. Road signs are symbols along the road that instruct you on what to while you drive

Familiarizing yourself with these road signs makes you drive with confidence and makes you avoid mistakes while driving in Uganda.

speed limits and traffic lights

• Speed limit signs: these road signs indicate the maximum speed that you should use while on a certain road in Uganda or certain highway. Common speed road signs in Uganda are usually 50km/h, 80km/h and 100km/h.
• Traffic lights: these indicate when traffic has to stop, when it has to move and when pedestrians should cross. Which are of three cplours: red, orange and green.

Other road signs

• No entry and one way signs: these sign show a driver that a certain road is closed for traffic preventing traffic from going there.
• Humps ahead signs: humps ahead is a warning sign to drivers on Uganda roads about the presence of upcoming humps. On seeing the humps ahead road signs, slow down and reduce the speed
• Highway line markings: these are also an integral element for road safety providing visual guidance to drivers and reduce the risk of accidents. these are;
  • Solid white line: which separates the traffic flowing in opposite direction. It also indicates the center of the road.
  • Dashed white line: separates lines of traffic flowing in the same direction and maybe crossed to change lines or overtake
  • Yellow line: indicates a no passing zone or hazardous area.
  • Double yellow line: indicates a no passing zone on both sides of the line
  • Broken yellow line: A passing zone where overtaking is allowed.