driving guidelines for self drive tourists in Uganda

With the zeal for self discovered adventures by many youths on Uganda safaris, many have opted for self drive safaris through the country a reason as to why we are here to give you driving guidelines for self drive tourists in Uganda. Depending on the season, the roads in Uganda are fairly good within all towns and could be dusty or muddy during the dry and wet seasons respectively. If you book with car hire rentals Uganda Kampala, you are given advise on the type of the car according to your travel group and needs. [caption id="attachment_705" align="aligncenter" width="800"]driving guidelines for self drive tourists in Uganda Rough roads during the wet season[/caption] For international tourists on Uganda tours, a holder of a valid driver license issued by his/her country of residence is permitted to drive in Uganda. However, this is valid for only three months if the driver license is in English and after that period, the driver will be required to obtain a Ugandan driving license. If your country driver license is not in English, then a driver should have an approved notarized translation of his/her driver license. A better alternative is the driver may obtain an International driving permit before traveling to Uganda. Now that you know what is required of you, here are some of the Driving rules to follow in Uganda;

Ugandan road traffic rules:

  • In Uganda, it is illegal to drive any motor vehicle or safari vehicle without a valid driver license.
  • The minimum age for driving is 18 years.
  • All throughout the country, it is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The permitted blood alcohol level is 0.08%.
  • The speed limit on highways is 100 km/h (62 mph), outside built up areas-80 km/h (50 mph) and 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban built up areas.
  • The driver and all passengers are required to wear protective seat belts at all times.
  • All motorcycle riders and passengers must wear protective helmets.
  • Valid third-party insurance is mandatory for all motor vehicles.
  • At intersections, drivers must give way to traffic from his/her right-hand side.
  • Use of a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal and can lead to penalty.
  • A rear-facing baby seat must not be fitted into a seat protected by an active frontal airbag.

Some important Driving guidelines for self drive tourists in Uganda

  • For non-residents on Uganda wildlife safari tours or any other trip, the driver must be at least 23 years of age and should have held a valid driver license for a period of not less than 2 years.
  • In case of an accident during the drive, in not less than 24 hours, the driver must report the accident in person to a police station. You should give to the police officer, your name and address, name and address of the owner of the car and the number of the registration plates of the vehicle.
  • Any police officer in uniform may remove any vehicle from a metered parking place if it is not less than two hours from the time at which the vehicle first appeared to have been parked in contravention of the regulation.
If one needs to get an international driving license, here is the procedure to undertake
  • The applicant should go to the offices of Automobile Association of Uganda and pick application form for an International Drivers License/permit (IDP)
  • The applicant then fills the form
  • The applicant proceeds to a designated bank and pays a fee for acquiring the license
  • The applicant then hands in a filled application form together with a valid Ugandan driving permit, passport photos and evidence of payment of fees
  • The applicant then waits for a few days for the International Drivers license to be processed
You will love the adventure and the discoveries but you need to know and follow the rules too to have the fun.  

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