Ranked among the best places/countries to visit in Africa, the pearl of Africa is gifted with a lot of attractions. The country is well known for mountain gorilla trekking in the Bwindi impenetrable national park, game viewing in Kidepo, Murchison falls, lake mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Parks in addition to other gazetted place with different things to do and see.  Many people who visit Uganda no longer want guided safaris but instead they want to hire a car for self drive and have control of everything on their vacation.  There are many mistakes people do when hiring cars in Uganda so if you’re planning to hire a car, avoid these car hire mistakes to save time and money while you are away.

Forgetting to check the total price: cheap car rental isn’t always best

Even if the price claims to be “inclusive”, there are a number of items and services that may not be included. The cheapest option may not always be best either with high excesses or additional costs like:

• Child seats
• Additional driver(s)
• Fees for drivers under a certain age
• Distance limits
• Returning the car outside of business hours
• Crossing international borders
• Returning the vehicle to a point other than the pick-up point
• Excess insurance

Not checking your car rental deposit

Make sure that any deposit you pay will be deducted from the total price and will not appear as a separate, additional charge on your credit card bill.

Not reading the contract

To understand what your rights and obligations are, always read the contract carefully. Don’t be afraid to ask about anything that you don’t understand before signing it. Never sign a contract unless you are clear about its contents and are happy with all the terms and conditions attached to it. It is important to check the excess for damage because it can be expensive.

Pay particular attention to the following:

• What exactly is included in the contract for the price quoted or advertised?
• Insurance Policy: does the insurance policy cover all the drivers who intend to drive the car,
• What type of insurance coverage is involved and do you have to pay an excess if there is a claim?
• Fuel Policy: is there a charge if you don’t return the car with the same fuel as the one they

gave me with?

• Driver Policies: are there insurance restrictions on the amount of people who can drive the car and/or their age?
• Breakdown Policy: is it clear what you should do in the event of the car breaking down? If not, ask the rental company for details. Never try to fix the car yourself or have any work done without checking with the rental company first.
• Returns Policy: is there a charge for returning the car to a different location than you picked it up at, or at an airport?Cancellation policy: is there one and what is required?

Not filling in a car rental damage check sheet

When you pick up and return the car, make sure you get an employee of the rental company to confirm, in writing, any damage that’s on the car before you drive it. You should also do this when you drop the car off to confirm that no damage occurred while you had the car and to avoid paying excess for damage.

Usually, you will be given a checklist or a diagram of the existing exterior damage when you pick the car up. If not, make a list of your own and have it signed. Doing this can avoid paying excess for damage.

Check that the car’s equipment with:

• Lights
• Air-conditioning
• Tires
• Windscreen (a small chip can become a big problem)
• Dents on the outside of the car.

Check all the above and confirm that they are in good order before setting off. For your own safety there are some essential car safety tips to consider no matter where you are driving.

Not checking where you can go

This is an important piece of car rental advice, are there any limits on the distance you can travel in the rental period? Is crossing borders allowed? Also check if you need an international driver’s permit or other documentation in the country you are renting in.

Returning the car out of hours

It is never a good idea to return a vehicle outside business hours, as you can’t get someone to confirm that no damage has been done. If you must do this take pictures showing the condition of the car. This may suffice as evidence that no damage occurred during the rental period. Leave yourself enough time to check the car and don’t leave it to the last minute to return it. Doing this can avoid paying excess for car damage.