Safe Driving Techniques in Rwanda’s Bad Weather

It is a rainy season or a snowy morning and you have already booked your rental car for self driving in Rwanda. To many drivers, driving through the mountainous area in a snowy environment can be quite challenging. After my past experience during my self drive in Rwanda, i have compiled some of the useful tips that you can follow once you get caught on the road in bad weather conditions. It is important to follow the following safe driving techniques while in Rwanda.

• Make sure your headlights are on so as to be Visible and seen.
• Obey all road and traffic signs, Safety authorities post this information with good reason.
• Be alert and drive defensively.
• Be prepared for the road conditions to change over relatively short distances.
• Allow yourself enough time and space to react to a sudden emergency and move from harm’s way or to come to a stop safely.
• Increase your following distance.

Remain well behind the road user in front as stopping distances can be ten times greater than on dry roads.

• Slow down. Braking takes longer on slippery roads .The slower you go, the easier it will be for you to maintain control and stop your vehicle.
• Don’t slow down so much that you become a risk to other drivers – Rather move off the road surface than getting to a complete stall in areas of poor visibility.
• Be aware that in reduced visibility conditions, drivers tend to follow the tail lights of vehicles in front of them.
• Use special caution near intersections. Never assume that because you have the green light or the right of way that the intersection will be clear — always scan ahead to spot potential hazards.
• Avoid unnecessary lane changes – Stay in one lane as much as possible
• Keep two hands firmly on the wheel and two eyes on the road at all times.
• Remain alert by continuously scanning the whole area.
• Drive extremely carefully when the roads are slippery. Avoid sudden actions as these could cause loss of control.
• Accelerate and brake very gently – Drive particularly slowly on bends where loss of control is more likely.
• Brake progressively on the straight before you reach a bend. Having slowed down, steer smoothly round the bend, avoiding sudden actions..
• When you encounter problems when driving in extreme heat –do not attempt to remove the radiator cap when your car is hot, and do not pour water over a hot radiator or engine. You must wait a sufficient amount of time until your engine cools.
• Never leave a child or pet in a parked car in extremely warm weather, You will be fined for this act in Rwanda.

• Identify the cause – It is either, too much Braking, Too much Steering, Too much Acceleration or a combination of one or all of these.
• Remove the cause gently and smoothly
• If your vehicle has ABS it will not skid under braking. If ABS is activated, keep your foot on the brake and steer around that what caused you to brake.
• If your vehicle does not have ABS and starts to skid on the brakes, pump the brake pedal very fast and steer around that what caused you to brake.
• If your vehicle skids and slews sideways -Turn the steering wheel in the same direction as the skid and ease off the accelerator at the same time.
• Avoid over correction with too much steering.
• Always look and steer toward your intended path of travel. Keep your eyes focused on where you want the vehicle to go.

We would like to encourage driver alertness with regards to your own driving, the driving of others as well as the surroundings! If you observe a car or truck driving too quickly for the conditions, put some distance between you and their vehicle. If you see a vehicle in front of you starting to lose control, you’ll need to make split-second checks for vehicles coming up behind you, potential dangers beside you, all while making a decision on how you need to react in case another driver loses control of their vehicle.

If a crash cannot be avoided you may have to choose the lesser of two evils. If there’s concrete to your left and a steep ditch to your right, or a forest right off the road – you need to keep these things in mind while you’re driving so that you can make informed split-second decisions about the safest place to steer your vehicle in case of an emergency.

At 4×4 Car Rental Rwanda, we wish that more drivers can make informed decisions on the roads. The more safety awareness we gain and apply in our driving on the roads, the better we are able to prevent and reduce road crashes in Rwanda despite the fact that Rwanda’s roads are in a good condition.