Cabinet has come up with road safety measures aimed at curbing the rising cases of car crashes that have claimed several lives in the country.

This was revealed to journalists by information minister Chris Baryomunsi at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday.

According to the minister, Cabinet has resolved to deal with road accidents by stepping up enforcement and effective regulation and management of road transport services.

He also revealed that Cabinet resolved to address road carnage through increased road safety sensitisation and awareness, effective co-ordination of all road safety efforts and strengthening of the traffic and road safety legislation.

The minister attributed road traffic crashes to human factors characterised by drink driving, distracted driving (through the use of a phone and eating while driving), fatigue and reckless behaviour such as wrongful overtaking, road rage, impatience, frequent lane change and abandoned vehicles on the carriageway.

Baryomunsi also observed that road crashes are caused by the condition of the vehicles characterised by defective and worn-out tyres, faulty brakes and engine failures, malfunction of systems, faulty and substandard parts, among others.

Cabinet further observed that boda bodas have continuously killed more people than vehicles.

“There is recklessness and indiscipline among most boda bodas riders, which have resulted in the death of several people on the roads,” he said.

Crash statistics

According to the Police Annual Crime Report 2022, the country registered 20,394 cases of road crashes in 2022 compared to 17,443 registered the previous year. Out of every 100 crashes, 22 people died while 61% of all accidents were as a result of reckless driving.

A total of 100 people perished in the past week due to road crashes, according to the mini weekly-Traffic and Road Safety report between July- 9-15.

This brings the number to 177 people who have perished in just a fortnight. 

According to the report that was provided for the past week on Monday, July 17, 2023, at the joint security briefing held at Police headquarters in Kampala, 432 crashes were reported, of which 97 were fatal, 202 serious and 133 minor.

Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety spokesperson, Michael Kananura said of the 424 victims, 100 lost lives, while 324 sustained injuries.

The fatalities included 42 motorcycle riders (13 passengers and 29 riders) as well as 40 pedestrians.

Kananura also cited that on July 16, 2023, at about 8:30pm, a fatal crash happened at Muzizi Forest on the Kagadi-Kyenjojo Road in Kagadi district, The crash left over 15 people dead, following the collision of two vehicles: A trailer and a Toyota Hiace.

He said preliminary findings indicate that the Trailer, travelling from Sudan to Congo, failed to negotiate a corner at Muzizi Forest, resulting in a collision with the Toyota Hiace.

Progress of PDM 

According to Baryomunsi, Cabinet observed that all the parishes in Uganda (except nine) have received shillings 100 million for Parish Development Model (PDM) in the last financial year, to invest in different enterprises such as piggery, beekeeping and fruit farming, among others.

Baryomunsi disclosed that Cabinet decided that PDM beneficiaries shall be applying for and receiving shillings one million payable after 24 months and concluded by the 36th month.

Cabinet further guided that no deductions should be made on the money being given to the beneficiaries.