Traffic police in Tanzania

How to deal with traffic police in Tanzania

There are a lot of traffic police in Tanzania. You’ll recognize them from a distance by their bright white uniform (see picture below). We always wonder how they keep their uniforms so white on the dusty roads, but that’s not the answer to your question…

So, advice which comes in handy when dealing with any kind of government official in Tanzania is remain patient and friendly, greet them in Swahili and make a joke, and you will have a new friend.

Traffic police will frequently pull you over to check if your car is insured, if the tires look okay, and to check if you are carrying the required fire extinguisher, reflector triangles and first aid kit.

Of course, that is taken care of if you rent a car from Africa Joy Tours. They will also want to see your driving license. A valid driving license from your country of residence is accepted in Tanzania. If you didn’t break the law (speeding, dangerous overtaking, etc.), there is nothing they can accuse you of.

In case you’ve committed an offence, you will receive a fine which needs to be paid via a bank deposit. If you receive a fine, please keep the ticket and call the Africa Joy Tours office. We will make the payment, which will save you a lot of time, and then you can refund us in cash upon car hand over.