Driving in Uganda especially in the western part and in most village areas may make you feel like you’re in a safe country, but it’s better to never let your guard down. Uganda can be a perilous country to go on self-drive. Car vandalizing is common in some major cities and there are other dangers you should be aware of when driving in Uganda.

All things considered, the majority of crime in Uganda happens in the urban centers which aren’t where most travelers and tourists will drive. In any case, it’s generally essential to take caution while driving in Uganda, most especially at night. Here are some of the problems you should put in mind when driving in Uganda.

Min busses

Most locals use these min buses as a way of transport to move around the country. These min van drivers are always careless in their way of driving they can overtake and swerve into your lane at a moment’s notice. They are known for running red lights and driving like crazy. So you should be careful when driving near them.

Windows

Your windows should always be up when driving in a traffic jam, at traffic lights, or when you have stopped completely. So when hiring a car for self-drive in Uganda make sure you make it clear that you want a vehicle with a working air conditioner.

Locked Doors

While driving in city centers where there are a lot of traffic jams, make sure you lock all your car doors. You should normalize hitting the center lock button to lock all the doors whenever you enter your vehicle. You should also lock your doors when away from the vehicle.

Valuables

It’s also advisable to keep your valuables like a laptop, camera, phone, and money out of sight, mostly at night and when parking your vehicle overnight better to remove all your valuables from the vehicle even if you parking in secure parking it’s not worthy to risk and am sure you would not love to walk out on a smashed window in the morning. Thieves can break your car window for just 20,000/= or a smartphone you left in the passenger seat.

Nighttime Driving

Driving in Uganda for the first time we recommend that if it’s not urgent or emergency it’s better you avoid driving at night. The reason why we would advise you to not drive at night is that the streets in Uganda don’t have street lights and they are not marked so there are high chances of getting lost in the city. With your back to the shower wall now, I drop to my knees and pull your lower body towards my open and waiting mouth.

Look Both Ways

This is also another important tip to keep in mind when you visit Uganda, it’s always vital to look both sides before crossing any road in Uganda. Don’t depend on the traffic lights to decide for you when to walk or stop because we have seen many motorcyclists and matatu drivers passing on the red lights and even common practice for motorcyclists to drive in a one-way lane, so in case you going for a walk on Ugandan streets you should keep that in mind.

Don’t Pick Up Hitchhikers

Yes, you have an extra seat in your 4×4 and want to act nice to the locals. In Uganda, it’s not worth taking the risk. Never pick hitchhikers most especially at night.

Parking space

Whenever you get a parking space, always choose a parking space with enough security and in most cases avoid those street parking spaces, especially at night. In case there is no parking garage around it’s better to choose a well-lit street to park. However, most places in the major cities have secure parking garages nearby.

People Everywhere

When driving in Uganda you have to be careful about the people. No matter how much the village is, there are also women, men, and children moving on the roadside. Always school kids walk from and to school every day and can carelessly enter the road. So you should be careful when driving on the road.