Police driver killed in Nsangi road crash

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A police driver died in a fatal accident in the early hours of Saturday, May 3, 2025, along Masaka Road at Namagoma in Nsangi.

The deceased, identified as No. 52679 Ben Otema, was reportedly riding an unknown civilian motorcycle when he collided with a Mercedes-Benz breakdown truck bearing registration number UAH 901R.

The incident was registered under reference TAR 37/2025 at Nsangi Police Station. Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

The fatal crash in Nsangi comes amid rising concerns over road safety, with Traffic Police linking most accidents to human error and poor visibility.

During a recent briefing, Director of Traffic Police Lawrence Niwabiine said that in 2024, 946 crashes were caused by careless pedestrians—many walking along highways or crossing recklessly.

He added that 1,753 crashes were linked to tailgating, while 335 were due to drivers ignoring the right-of-way. Blinding headlights, particularly from trucks and station wagons, were also cited as a key factor in fatal crashes.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all crash. Every incident is different and needs a unique approach,” Niwabiine said.

A total of 25,808 road crash casualties were recorded in 2024, marking a 4.4% increase from 24,728 in 2023.

The most affected age group was under 35 years, accounting for 55.7% of all fatalities.

Motorcycles topped the list of vehicles involved in accidents (14,083), followed by motorcars (11,780) and light omnibuses (3,021).

The majority of fatal crashes occurred between 6:00pm and 8:00pm, peaking at 894 deaths.