Police enlist Fort Portal schoolchildren in fight against deadly road crashes

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At least two schoolchildren die every day in road crashes in Uganda, according to traffic police, raising concern about the safety of young pedestrians and passengers on the country’s roads.

Traffic police spokesperson Michael Kananura said the deaths form part of the 14 people who die daily in road crashes, many of them due to reckless driving.

In response to the worrying trend, police, together with the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, have launched a road safety sensitisation campaign targeting schoolchildren in Fort Portal.

Traffic police spokesperson Michael Kananura addressing pupils at Buhinga Primary school. (Photo by Jonan Tusingwire)

The initiative focuses on teaching learners basic road safety practices and encouraging them to share the information with their parents and communities.

According to Kananura, children can play a powerful role in influencing safer behaviour among adults.

“On average, Uganda loses about 14 people in road crashes every day, and sadly, two of these are school-going children. Many of these crashes are caused by reckless driving,” said Kananura.

He added that involving children is a strategic approach to spreading road safety awareness. “We are engaging schools because children are very good messengers. When they learn about road safety, they take that message home to their parents and guardians,” he told journalists.

The campaign, which Kananura said will be rolled out across the country, kicked off on March 13, 2026, at Buhinga Primary School in Fort Portal. Pupils were taken through the basics of road safety, including how to safely cross the road, the importance of observing traffic signs, and how to behave responsibly as pedestrians and passengers.

The children were also given helmets to encourage safe riding practices, especially for those who use motorcycles as a means of transport to and from school.

“We believe that teaching children about road safety will help them protect themselves and also influence their parents to be more responsible road users,” Kananura said.

Steven Turyarugayo, the public relations officer for the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, said the campaign is intended to create long-term behavioural change by starting with the younger generation.

Traffic police spokesperson Michael Kananura and other police officers fitting helmets on some of the pupils heads. (Photo by Jonan Tusingwire)

“Our aim is to instil road safety values in children at an early age so that they grow up understanding how to use the road safely and responsibly,” he said.

Teachers and parents welcomed the initiative, noting that many children walk or ride motorcycles to school, making them vulnerable to road crashes.

“Many of our children here come to school and go back to their homes using motorcycles; this exposes them to accidents,” said Constance Asimwe, the head teacher of Buhinga Primary School.

The 2024 Police Annual Crime Report indicates that a total of 426,432 traffic offences were recorded countrywide. Of these, 25,107 were crashes, including 4,434 fatal crashes and 7,539 minor crashes. The report also shows that 13,134 were serious crashes, resulting in a total of 25,808 casualties.