HOIMA - Riders in Hoima city have been sensitised on the use of zebra crossings and road safety in general. 

The Hoima branch of Uganda Red Cross Society volunteers together with the Traffic Police in Hoima city, embarked on sensitising boda boda cyclists on a number of road safety issues. 

The campaign aims at creating awareness of the usage of road signs; mostly zebra crossings as well as crossing roundabouts among others. 

The team moved from street to street creating awareness about the dangers of road accidents and how they can be contained. 

"When you are cycling, put on closed shoes, an overall, a jacket, helmet and also reflector jackets because they help motorists to identify easily. At Red Cross, we also train how you help a person that has been involved in an accident,” Apofia Kemigisha a Red Cross volunteer said. 

Cpl Charles Basiima, the head of traffic operations at Hoima Central Police Station, demonstrated to the cyclists how zebra crossings are normally used. 

Basiima revealed that for April, they registered a slight reduction in road accidents due to road safety campaigns. 

Some Hoima city residents reserved criticism for cyclists and motorists for not respecting the zebra crossing. 

"When I am using the zebra crossing, motorists do not stop. Sometimes, we survive being knocked even if we are carefully crossing. We need more sensitisation,” David Amanyire a Hoima resident said. 

Robert Muganyizi, a boda boda cyclist at police stage, said most cyclists lack knowledge of road signs. 

Stephen Wamukota the Hoima Red Cross branch manager said as an organisation, they are conducting a number of activities during Red Cross Week like, sensitisation of the population about road accidents, the use of helmets by cyclists and blood donations, all aimed at saving lives. 

Wamukota said the sensitisation exercise will create a great impact in reducing accidents and loss of blood in the community. 

Meanwhile, the public has also been sensitised to donate blood.