Drivers cautioned on responsible driving as schools reopen

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As schools officially resume for term two of the academic year on Monday, May 25, Michael Kananura, the public relations officer of the Traffic Police, has cautioned drivers to practise responsible driving around school premises and in densely populated areas.

Kananura revealed that Uganda loses 15 people to road accidents daily, two of whom are school-going children. He added that while driving near schools, hospitals or populated community areas, the maximum speed limit should not exceed 30km/h.

“Children are among the most vulnerable road users, given their poor judgment skills. Every day, many of the children cross the busy roads, and others travel in motor vehicles.

On a daily basis, Uganda loses two school-going children and a total of 15 people due to road accidents,” Kananura said, adding that many drivers continue to ignore traffic rules and end up putting the lives of innocent children at risk.

ItmsOwen Muhumuza, the Project Manager of safe kids, safe future from Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) addressing stakeholders during the closure of the safe Kids, safe future project phase one. (Photo by Simon Peter Tumwine)

“This is not a small number. We are all working hard to reduce or even stop the road crashes,” Kananura said.

Kananura made the remarks on May 22, 2026, while addressing various stakeholders from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Police, Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), school representatives and school-going children, among others, at Hotel Africana during the closure of phase one of the Safe Kids, Safe Future project.

He noted that reducing road crashes in the country is not only the responsibility of the Traffic Police but a shared responsibility among all Ugandans.

“As we were growing up, we grew up knowing that a child is a responsibility of the whole community, but this has changed nowadays, and the community has neglected this responsibility,” Kananura said, adding that while driving on the road, everyone should bear in mind that every child is theirs.

Kananura revealed that 95 percent of road accidents are caused by human behaviour, adding that they can be prevented if all road users respect one another.

Owen Muhumuza, the project manager of Safe Kids, Safe Future at ITMS, revealed that the majority of road accidents are preventable. However, he said drivers tend to ignore mechanical warnings from their vehicles and road signs.

He revealed that during phase one of the Safe Kids, Safe Future project, they visited 12 primary schools in Central, Western, Eastern and Northern Uganda, where 9,700 pupils were equipped with road safety messages.

Various stake holders from Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Police, school representative, school going children among key stakeholders at Hotel Africana posing for a photo moment during the closure of the safe Kids, safe future project phase one. (Photo by Simon Peter Tumwine)

Muhumuza said road safety is a shared responsibility, adding that although ITMS uses technology, there is still a need to train children on how to use reflector jackets, crash helmets and pedestrian walkways, among others.

He added that a total of 10,000 beneficiaries were registered under the project, but due to limited funding, they were unable to distribute all the necessary road safety equipment.

“We reached out to 9700 pupils, but we were only able to equip only 5035 with road safety items. If we had enough finances, we would be in a position to equip each and every pupil,” Muhumuza said.

Muhumuza proposed that KCCA and the Ministry of Works and Transport should install school zone and zebra crossing signs and encourage schools to designate child pick-up and drop-off zones, which he said would reduce road accidents around schools.

Pupils from Buganda Road Primary School and Kibuye Primary School attended the event.