The Highway Code: Proper use of indicators, signals

When these pages still carried experiences of drivers, their responses to the question on what they thought of fellow motorists, was always in the negative. Some would confess to being part of the problem of bad driving on the roads. Many registered complaints of poor use of car indicators among other poor road use habits.

For instance, drivers or motorcycle riders are infuriated when a fellow driver or rider uses the wrong indicator and takes an opposite turn while driving or riding. The frustration for motorists is that a wrong turn could potentially cause an accident should the motorists behind someone making a mistake not be on their guard to stop or anticipate an error by whoever is driving or riding in front of them.
“We are all impatient and bad drivers,” says actor and comedian, Hannington Bugingo.
Dancehall artiste Vampino, real name Elvis Kirya, agrees, adding, “There are so many crazy people on the road but I have not crushed my car. It is crushed by people I lend it to.”

Faisal Kiwewa, the director of Bayimba International Festival of the Arts, holds the same sentiments. “…the worst are those with government cars. They seem to think they have the right to do whatever they want on the road. I do not blame them though, they just use the cars, they do not pay for them.”

Discipline
The aggregate in many complaints is poor use or utter disregard of The Highway Code, the universal guide to motorists on a number of road and traffic issues, the proper use of indicators inclusive. The message Andy Musoke, a mechanic and driver, has is to motorists, who he implores to be respectful of one another because as they lose their temper or exchange unfriendly words, sometimes in heavy traffic, a mistake or at worst an accident, could occur. “We all need to take driving more seriously and observe traffic signs. Reduce speed in crowded areas,” Musoke says. He adds that Ugandans need to familiarise themselves with The Highway Code Guide for drivers and riders since it spells out guidelines they need to observe when on the road.

He says a copy of The Highway Code is available is bookshops at Shs15,000 although some driving schools give a copy free of charge. “The objective of the Highway Code is to advise and guide all road users to use the road safely and more over sensibly, respecting traffic signs and signals and to be considerate and courteous to other road users,” introductory notes in the book, state, in part. It adds that if every road user, in the spirit of consideration, take effort to learn and act on the advice given in the Highway Code, many accidents and ultimately deaths would be avoided.

Stationary cars
Solomon Ssendegeya, a driving instructor with Dembe Driving School, says some guidelines that will help you stay clear of traffic offences particularly by observing sections of The Highway Code. “If the vehicle is stationary on a road, it means that it is taking a momentary stop. Blinkers may also be used to make the car visible in low visibility conditions such as snow or fog,” he explains.

He adds, “Student drivers also drive with their blinkers on so as to let the other cars know. Vehicles stationary on the side of the road with blinkers may mean that there is some problem with the car, like a flat tire. Hill-climb roads may also require drivers to put their blinkers on at nights to alert other drivers.”

Hazard lights
Musoke adds that people need to be mindful of the use of indicators and what they communicate, for example if a driver or rider uses hazard lights. “This means the driver has an emergency they are dealing with. They may have run out of fuel or dealing with a mechanical condition that could have affected the motion of their car or motorcycle,” he explains.
He adds that hazard lights are commonly used on the road by drivers or motorcyclists who would like pedestrians to cross, many times for children who need help in order to cross busy roads in busy parts of the city or towns.

Hand signals
“Hazard warning light will not function if one indicator light is faulty,” warns The Highway Code book. It adds that a motorist should stop the indicator directions after a maneuver lest it misguides other road users.
In case of using the left hand behind light, Musoke says a motorist will be indicating to the fellow drivers or motorists that they are about to alight. To this, The Highway Code adds that use of hand signals during daytime is also encouraged as a form of communication between motorists and other road users such as pedestrians.

Reversing
Before you reverse, The Highway Code guides that you should make sure that there are no pedestrians or any other obstruction in the road behind you. “Be especially careful about the ‘blind area’ behind you as it is part of the road which you cannot see from the driving seat. Do not reverse from a side road into the main road. If your view to the rear is restricted, get help from responsible people. Do not rely on signals given by unauthorised people,” reads a part in The Highway Code. Irrespective of being a motorist or pedestrian, The Highway code calls for respect for one another for road safety.

Driving with limited visibility
Andy Musoke, a mechanic, cautions that when it is raining, it is advisable to slow down as visibility is not as clear as it is on sunny days. “In the night, you will need to aid your sight with car lights. Be careful not to stop the car instantly without warning using break lights as it might lead into an accidents because you would not have communication in time to fellow drivers or riders behind you,” Musoke advises, adding that lights work hand in hand with car mirrors.

[email protected]