The zebra crossing is one of the most abused traffic sections in Uganda. The chances of being knocked at some of the sections are high. The pediatricians are also supposed to cross freely without putting much pressure or anticipation of any nature. There are many road signs for the motorists to take note of and respect. These are put in place for safety of the motorists and others are to ensure safety for the pediatricians. Below are some of the relevant signs to take note of while self driving in Uganda with your rented car.
Zebra or the pedestrian crossing sign; this sign has got white stripes on the road, which shows that the pedestrians will be crossing in that area of the road and therefore , the motorists should always slow down. This is one of the most abused sign by the motorists and it’s advised to take care even at a zebra crossing since there are many reckless motorists.
The speed limit sign; this sign has got legal maximum speed at which one should drive in a particular area. These signs show speed in kilometers per hour. When its respected, the speed limit road sign helps in preventing accidents since it helps the motorists to know at what speed they should drive at in the given area.
The Stop sign; this is in red and white color usually calls for the drivers to stop before proceeding. It’s commonly used at junctions, accident scenes on the road or at the check points. It’s commonly a temporal traffic control sign.
The Roundabout sign; this sign shows with arrows in a circle or arrows pointing to the different directions the roundabout will lead one to. Its alerts the motorists of a roundabout ahead therefore they should respond by slowing down. The warning the sign gives to the motorists prevents them from running into other cards and over turning.
Humps ahead; this sign shows the motorists to reduce their speed. It’s put 50 meters before one reaches the hump. One must be careful to slow down since they can overturn if not so careful.
The One way sign; this is cited as one of the 10 most important road signs because if not noticed, one might run into cars moving in the opposite direction. This one way road sign has an arrow that points in the direction in which motorists should be driving. the most common one is one near Pioneer Mall in Kampala. If one does not take note of them, they can cause an accident.
The Climbing Lane; this sign has got two arrows; the climbing lane is mostly used by slow drivers on a hill, to prevent them from slowing other motorists. There are always two lanes. The outer lane is for drivers at a slow speed and the inner lane is for those driving at a high speed.
Schools and hospital signs; these signs has two black figures of children on it and these inform the motorists of children or patients that are likely to be crossing the road. These also help the public in locating the places.
The Give way signs; this sign is put at cross roads to inform the motorists driving from a given direction to let other motorists pass before they join the traffic. The sample example is the give-way road sign that Kyobutungi gives is one at the junction with roads to Rubaga Cathedral, Kabusu, Mengo and the city centre.
The no overtaking by goods vehicle; this sin normally cautions goods vehicles, which are normally heavy, not to overtake because they are heavy and usually move at a slow speed. By the time the goods vehicle overtakes, the other cars from the other opposite direction will have reached it and they will then collide.
The Diversion sign; it’s not so common but if not respected, one could end up in the crash because it’s usually placed in the road during road construction or maintain ace.
No entry sign is also vital because if you drive in the no entry zone, they are most likely to be towed or clamped.
The Narrow road sign shows that the road ahead is narrow at some point. This road might narrow to the left or right. This road sign is sometimes temporarily used during road construction or maintenance.
The Railway crossing; the railway crossing road sign requires motorists to stop or slow down and ensure there is a no train coming before they continue. It’s always wrong to park in the railway crossing even in a traffic jam. Also worth mentioning are signs warning of sharp bends, black spots, animals crossing and no parking. Some of the signs may not be as common as others but they are equally important for all road users including pedestrians.
