Car rental has gained popularity in Uganda over the past decade. It is one of the top modes preferred by foreign travelers. As some prefer to rent a car with a driver to take them around, many opt for self driving due to various reasons including enjoying privacy and flexibility during the trip.
However, But since cars are machines that can breakdown anytime that is why Car Hire Uganda ensures a great tactical team to handle roadside assistance from almost every big town as areas close to top tourist destination in Uganda. Here are the top guides on handling breakdowns and calling out for roadside assistance. Here are the steps you can take:
Stay calm and assess the situation
Handling roadside emergencies during a car rental in Uganda requires quick thinking and a calm approach. If you encounter a roadside emergency, the first step is to stay calm and assess the situation. Determine the severity of the problem and ensure your safety and the safety of your passengers. For instance if you see flames or smoke from the front of the car, turn off engine and keep a distance from the car until it settles down. That’s when after, you can assess the situation maybe by examining the park that was flaming and see what has happened to it.
Contact the car rental company
Our roadside support contacts are always online, you can either press a call or send a whatsapp message to notify us immediately about the emergency. An email message can delay sometimes to be attended to. We shall guide you on the next steps to take and provide assistance. Our contact information is always printed on the tyre cover of the car that you have rented, rental agreements or stickers on some types of cars such as Safari Vans and Hiace drones.
- Follow the instructions given to you by the person attending to your emergency situation as this would be the first diagnosis before a nearby mechanic is contacted. In the meantime, you can use the emergency equipment in the car such as warning triangles to notify other road users that you have an emergency.
- Contact emergency services if needed for example in case of serious accidents or medical emergencies, contact the nearby local police station as soon as possible. Though Uganda has got peaceful people that can render you a helping hand in such situations, take care of your property as some many come with different agendas of personal gains by looting your commodities.
Don’t trust any help from strangers
You have contacted us for help so its better to wait on our next step. If anyone comes by to offer you help, don’t allow him examine the car before reaching out to us. Since most of our clients are foreigners, many strangers wish to help expecting huge amounts of tips as there is a general misconception that ‘bazungus’ (whites) are rich.
- If you want to go somewhere far from the car, lock it and keep the key until the official person from the company comes in for help. Otherwise, stay with the vehicle. Leaving the car unattended may result in further complications or potential theft.
- In instances of serious damages to the car, make sure to document the incident by taking photos of the scene and any damages to the vehicle. Gather any relevant information such as names and contact details of witnesses. This documentation can be useful for insurance purposes or any potential legal proceedings.
Lastly, you should note that car emergencies are normal and can happen anytime as it is with with any other machine however efficient it is. If it needs a car change, wait until an official representative assess the situation of the car to recommend so. Some emergencies can be attended at quickly and you continue with the trip as planned. Some help such as changing timing belts and burnt components in the engine cylinder head after an overheating situation with the car may take time to fix but can be worked on easily.
It always takes between 12 – 24 hours for a car change in case our official recommends so. This depends on the distance from Kampala where our main workshop and offices are to where you have gotten the emergency from.
