'I stop, I look, I listen': Schoolchildren in Mbale empowered on road safety

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'I stop, I look, I listen — I'm a road safety champion'.

That is one of several sensitization messages passed on last week to more than 1,400 pupils in high-traffic schools in Uganda's eastern city of Mbale.

Initiated and conducted by the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), the two-day road safety sensitization programme (February 19-20) dubbed 'Safe Kids, Safe Future' marked the start of a three-month charity campaign held in partnership with the Traffic Directorate of the Uganda Police Force and the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The programme focused on promoting safe road-use discipline, covering responsible road behaviour, pedestrian safety, helmet use, traffic signs, and innovative smart road enforcement solutions.

Learners from Wanyera Primary School and Bright Parents Junior Primary School were among those that took part.

“This initiative equips young Ugandans with the knowledge and skills to prevent road accidents and save lives,” said Sarah Nahabwe, ITMS corporate social responsibility (CSR) consultant. 

According to the Annual Crime Report of 2024, the number of reported road crashes increased by 6.4% in 2024: from 23,608 in 2023 to 25,107 in 2024. Fatal crashes also increased in the same period.

Worryingly, more crashes were reported to have occurred during day time than the night time, with collisions with pedestrians constituting the highest percentage (19.5%) of all crashes, including fatal ones.

Police also reported that careless overtaking and speeding were the leading causes of road crashes in 2024.

Now that schools have reopened for the first term, the presence of children on Ugandan roads making journeys to and from school in the mornings and evenings is greater.

'Safe Kids, Safe Future-2026' is running from February to April 2026. The initial sessions were piloted last year in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.

During the sensitization edition in Mbale, pupils pledged to form road safety clubs and teachers reported improved attentiveness. Organisers said the average awareness scores had increased from 30% before the sessions to 95% after.

During the sessions, ITMS officers led interactive discussions and demonstrations covering basic road safety rules, the meaning and interpretation of traffic signs, and the dangers of speeding, careless riding, and unsafe pillion riding. 

To reinforce learning outcomes, safety materials, including reflector jackets, signal bracelets, helmets, and road safety bookmarks, will be distributed to participating schools.

“Every day, Uganda loses two school-going children due to reckless driving," said Michael Kananura, the Traffic Directorate’s spokesperson.

"We are happy that ITMS cares about childrens’ safety both via CSR activities like today and by providing smart transport solutions. Together, we can make Ugandan roads safer."

Milly Namataka, the head teacher of Wanyera Primary School, requested Mbale City Authority to place a zebra crossing near her school.

“Drivers are reckless and are not sympathetic to school-going children. We would like to thank the Directorate of Traffic Police, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and ITMS for teaching us about road safety."

Mitchele Atugonza, the head prefect of Wanyera Primary School, said: “It [sensitization programme] enlightened us on what we had missed out in classroom lessons on road safety.”