Crime
100 lives lost in road crashes last week
As Ugandans are still reeling from the tragic loss of 16 lives in an accident that occurred on the night of Sunday 16th July 2023 at Kyamutunzi village near River Muzizi in Muhorro Town Council, Kagadi district along Fort Portal road, the Police traffic directorate has revealed that100 individuals lost their lives in road crashes, with an average of 14 deaths per day, last week.
According to Superintendent of Police Michael Kananura the spokesperson for the traffic police, a total of 424 people were affected by these accidents, with 100 fatalities occurring instantly.
One of the accidents include the aforementioned incident that occurred when a trailer registration number UAD 431Q and a taxi registered as UAM 426V collided.
The accident occurred at 8:30 pm on Sunday when the trailer, travelling from South Sudan to DR Congo, lost control and collided with the taxi. Tragically, 15 occupants of the taxi lost their lives instantly, while one person was rushed to Kagadi Hospital for treatment.
Out of the 100 recorded deaths, pedestrians accounted for 40, followed by 29 motorcyclists and 13 motorcycle passengers. The average of 14 deaths per day surpasses the daily fatality rate compared to the previous year.
Last year’s traffic and road safety data revealed that a total of 4,534 individuals lost their lives in road crashes throughout the year, averaging 12 deaths per day.
Kananura noted that investigations into last week’s crashes indicated that a majority of them were caused by speeding, distracted driving (such as phone use and WhatsApp), and reckless driving.
The police have stressed the importance of promptly notifying nearby police stations and placing reflective triangles at a reasonable distance to warn other drivers when experiencing mechanical issues on the road.
Police statistics from last week indicate a concerning rise in road fatalities, with 23 more deaths compared to the previous week’s toll of 77.
Leaders from the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda (ROSACU), Sam Bambanza, and Fred Tumwine, have urged the police to enforce speed regulations, conduct regular vehicle inspections to ensure roadworthiness, and educate the public on the perils of speeding, distracted driving, and drug and alcohol abuse.
