Motorists face steep fine for exceeding 30kmh urban speed limit

The Ministry of Works and Transport has officially gazetted the Traffic and Road Safety (Prescription of Speed Limits) Regulations, 2024, introducing a new 30km/h speed limit for urban and community roads.

The regulations aim to enhance road safety, particularly in high-traffic areas such as schools, hospitals, churches, markets, and business centres where pedestrian and vehicular movement is heavy.

The new speed limit applies to all vehicle categories, including motor vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles, public service vehicles, private omnibuses, light and medium goods vehicles, tractors, heavy vehicles, as well as tractors drawing trailers and engineering plants.

Gazetted on 14 February 2025, the regulations align Uganda’s speed management policies with global best practices.

Why 30km/h?

General Katumba Wamala, the Minister for Works and Transport, who issued the statutory instrument, emphasised that lowering speed limits would make communities safer.

He noted that Uganda has one of Africa’s highest road accident rates, with speeding being a leading cause of crashes, particularly in urban areas.

“Our roads are shared by boda bodas, cyclists, street vendors, and pedestrians. Slower speeds reduce the chances of avoidable accidents. By lowering speed limits, we can reduce both the frequency and severity of crashes,” Wamala explained.

Offences and penalties

Under the new regulations, drivers who exceed speed limits will face significant fines under the Traffic and Road Safety (Express Penalty Scheme for Road Traffic Offenders) Regulations, 2024. The penalties include:

• Sh200,000 for exceeding the speed limit by 10 to 30 km/h
• Sh600,000 for exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/h

The Uganda Professional Drivers Network welcomed the move, stating that excessive speed has been a major cause of crashes in Uganda for over two decades.

“After 20 years of relying on the 2004 speed limit regulations, which failed to adequately address the issue of speeding, we are now pleased to see laws that better reflect our local needs,” the organisation said in a statement.

Speed limits for different roads

The regulations specify speed limits based on road type:

Urban highways:

• Motor vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, public service vehicles, and private omnibuses: 50 km/h
• Tractors and heavy vehicles: 40 km/h
• Tractors drawing trailers and engineering plants: 30 km/h

Rural roads:

• Paved roads: 30 km/h to 90 km/h
• Gravel roads: 30 km/h to 60 km/h

Expressways and dual carriageways:

• Motor vehicles designed to carry passengers: 100 km/h
• Motorcycles allowed on expressways: 100 km/h
• Public service vehicles and private omnibuses seating more than eight passengers: 100 km/h

The introduction of these regulations marks a major step in reducing road accidents and improving traffic safety across Uganda. 

By setting and enforcing appropriate speed limits, particularly in busy urban areas, the government aims to create a safer environment for all road users.