Traffic boss engages surgeons on road safety collaboration
Michael Kananura, the traffic and safety directorate spokesperson, said the ASOU team began by appreciating the work being done by the Traffic Police in promoting safety on Ugandan roads.
The Director of Traffic and Road Safety, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Lawrence Niwabiine, engaging members of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU). (Courtesy photo)
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The Director of Traffic and Road Safety, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Lawrence Niwabiine, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, held a productive engagement with members of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU) and provided an overview of the current road safety situation in the country.
Michael Kananura, the traffic and safety directorate spokesperson, said the ASOU team began by appreciating the work being done by the Traffic Police in promoting safety on Ugandan roads.
“They then presented the burden of road traffic injuries in the country, highlighting the significant human and financial costs associated with treating crash victims. The surgeons emphasised that many road crashes are preventable through coordinated interventions by various stakeholders and by promoting a culture of discipline, responsibility and compliance among all road users,” Kananura said.
The Director of Traffic and Road Safety, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Lawrence Niwabiine, speaking during the engagement. (Courtesy photo)
In his remarks, Niwabiine thanked the association for the invitation and provided an overview of the current road safety situation in the country.
He wondered whether road users lack information about road safety and observed that sufficient information exists but is not well coordinated and effectively disseminated.
Niwabiine noted that while the Traffic Police has continued to implement various road safety initiatives, one of the key gaps has been the lack of access to scientific and evidence-based information on road traffic injuries and crashes.
He welcomed the involvement of the surgeons and described their participation as a valuable addition to the collective effort to reduce road crashes and their devastating consequences.
Niwabiine called upon all road safety partners and stakeholders to join hands in preventing road crashes, stressing that road safety is a shared responsibility that requires collective action.
He concluded by pledging continued collaboration with ASOU through the establishment of platforms for information sharing, joint awareness campaigns and community engagement programmes.
He said that through partnership research, education, and enforcement, stakeholders can significantly reduce the burden of road traffic injuries and make Uganda's roads safer for all.
Accident statistics
While releasing the 2025 annual traffic statistics in April this year, Niwabiine said that in 2025, a total number of 26,044 road traffic crashes were reported compared to 25,107 crashes recorded in 2024, representing an increase of 3.7 per cent.
Nuwabiine said that of the 26,044 crashes, 4,602 were fatal, meaning that there was a life or more lost in these accidents, while 13,563 were serious and 7,879 were minor.