By Jumah Kakomo
Advocates for road safety under their umbrella body, Road safety advocacy coalition Uganda (ROSACU) have urged the government to substantially increase financial and other resources for road safety, reinforce enforcement of traffic and road safety regulations in all jurisdictions as a way of eliminating on road carnages across the country.
On Monday this week, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety in Uganda reported 432 road accidents between 9th to 15th of July 2023, 97 of them being fatal, 202 being serious and 133 were regarded minor and leaving 100 people dead.
Addressing the media in Kampala on the state of road safety, the chairman of (ROSACU) also executive director of Uganda road accident reduction network organization Fred Tumwine Nkuruho attributed these accidents to over speeding beyond the preferred limit and over taking in sharp corners.
He says it is everyone’s responsibility to report any act likely to cause accidents to responsible government agencies and authorities.
Project coordinator Health and Environmental conservation sectors Susan Tumuhairwe attributed many of the accidents to the poor state of roads in Uganda thus calling upon the government’s intervention to save the lives of Ugandans.
“Roads have also greatly contributed to rampant accidents in the country due to their poor state leading to the deaths of many Ugandans” she added.
The secretary (ROSACU) Sam Bambanza said the road traffic pandemic has reached unprecedented proportions due to factors such as driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while using mobile phones, over speeding and reckless driving, stationary vehicles in inappropriate spots, vehicles in poor mechanical condition, poor road infrastructure, corrupt traffic officers, impunity by drivers of government, military and security vehicles among others.
He says the amendment of the traffic and road safety act is among the ways to curb the increasing road accidents in the country since people have shunned following road traffic rules and regulation. However, he advised law enforcement officers to be keen while exciting their work instead of asking for bribery.
Dr. Hannah Muzee, associate director of Centre for Policy Analysis, singled out boda-Boda riders as the main category of people causing accidents due to their failure to follow traffic rules and regulations.
She says motorcycle helmet use can lead to an estimated 42% reduction in risk of fatal injuries and a 69% reduction in risk of non-fatal head injuries, but many boda-boda riders have ignored the use of these helmets that puts their lives and passengers in danger.
