Joyce Namugambe
The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety in Uganda Police has reported 447 road accidents occurred with in last between 3 to 9 July2023, 67 of them being fatal, 235 being serious and 145 were regarded minor which were considered to have been caused on different roads countrywide.
This has been revealed on Monday 10th July 2023 by the newly appointed traffic spokesperson SP Michael Kananura during the weekly security briefing at the police headquarters in Naguru.
SP Michael Kananura also revealed that 441 people were affected by these accidents, and out of these, 77 people lost their lives and 364 sustained serious injuries.
Mr. Kananura also disclosed that motorcycles are highly contributed to the number of victims that sustained injuries on the roads in the course of last week saying, 38 people who were moving on motorcycles, 26 were pedestrians and 196 injured people were on motorcycles.
He added that on 6th July 2023, along Mbarara Ntungamo road, motor vehicle number UBF 300Z Toyota land cruiser and UAZ 767 D FUSO claimed the life of a renowned Kampala businessman, Apollo Nyegameh alias Aponye, which was among the fatal accidents that were registered in the course of last week and the traffic spokesperson attributed this accident to over speeding by Aponye’s driver leading to his death and serious injuries of the 3 people who were with him.
Another accident took place on Saturday 08 July 2023, this year around Ayago in Murchison falls game park along karuma Pakwach high way involving motor vehicle number UAW 943A, claiming lives of 4 people one being the Honourable Charles Angiru, the former MP for Erotwe North, and injured 2 others.
On Sunday 9 July 2023, at Namanve along jinja Kampala high way, another accident was registered, involving motor vehicle number UAW 704G Toyota and UBJ 058Q FUSO, it is alleged that the Toyota driver Kizito Tommy rammed into FUSO trying to over take and caused head on collision, he died on the spot.
Recklessness driving, over speeding, instructed driving, drifting into another lane, driving on phone, driving under alcohol influence among others, have been noted to be the leading cause of accidents on the roads.
It’s from this juncture that traffic directorate issued some of the safety guidelines that road users must follow to avoid accidents on the roads including:
Private vehicles and motor vehicles must not drive beyond 100 kilometers per hour on paved roads, 80 kilometers per hour on Gravel roads, and 50 kilometers per hour on in built up areas or trading centers.
All private service vehicles and private owned buses must not drive beyond 80 kilometers per hour on paved roads, 60 kilometers per hour on gravel roads and 50 kilometers in built up areas.
All goods vehicles must not drive beyond 80 kilometers per hour on paved roads and 50 kilometers in built up areas.
Whoever will be caught violating these guidelines will have committed an offence and will be penalized with not exceeding 2million Ugandan shillings or 3 years imprisonment, or both.
