Passengers on boda-boda now risk fines
Jul 05, 2004
PASSENGERS on bodaboda motorcycles without crash helmets face a sh20,000 fine, or a month in jail. The riders face sh80,000 or a three-month imprisonment.
By Alfred Wasike
PASSENGERS on Boda bodamotorcycles without crash helmets face a sh20,000 fine, or a month in jail. The riders face sh80,000 or a three-month imprisonment.
Works, housing and communications minister John Nasasira told a news conference in Kampala yesterday that women could wear shower caps if they were worried about the helmets ruffling their hair.
Internal affairs minister Ruhakana Rugunda attended the briefing.
Nasasira granted buses, omnibuses and other commercial vehicles a three-month grace period from yesterday to install safety belts as part of the new stringent traffic rules that took effect on July 1.
“All people must respect these regulations. Everyone using bodaboda, or any motorcycle, must wear crash helmets. If you don’t want to share, buy your own. We want maximum road safety,†Nasasira said.
He said plans were underway to educate bodaboda cyclists on road safety. He said the public response to the new road regulations was good but not adequate.
Vehicles imported without factory- fitted safety belts and speed governors will not be licensed. All public vehicles of 3.5 tonnes and above must be fitted with speed governors. The maximum speed is 80kph for public service vehicles and 60kph for heavy-duty vehicles.
The rules on speed governors take effect on August 1. Offenders face a sh600,000 fine or a two-year jail term, or both.
Nasasira said whoever drives while on mobile phone faces a sh200,000 fine or a year in jail, or both.
He said the Highway Code would be integrated into the school curriculum “so that our citizens learn about road safety at the earliest age.â€
He said drivers must demonstrate knowledge of the code to get a driving permit or renew one. The offences carry a fine up to sh600,000, or two years in jail, or both.
Drivers with a blood alcohol level beyond 80mg/100ml could be fined sh1.2m, or serve two years in prison.
Buses would not be permitted to make return journeys to Kampala if one way exceeds 300km.
PASSENGERS on Boda bodamotorcycles without crash helmets face a sh20,000 fine, or a month in jail. The riders face sh80,000 or a three-month imprisonment.
Works, housing and communications minister John Nasasira told a news conference in Kampala yesterday that women could wear shower caps if they were worried about the helmets ruffling their hair.
Internal affairs minister Ruhakana Rugunda attended the briefing.
Nasasira granted buses, omnibuses and other commercial vehicles a three-month grace period from yesterday to install safety belts as part of the new stringent traffic rules that took effect on July 1.
“All people must respect these regulations. Everyone using bodaboda, or any motorcycle, must wear crash helmets. If you don’t want to share, buy your own. We want maximum road safety,†Nasasira said.
He said plans were underway to educate bodaboda cyclists on road safety. He said the public response to the new road regulations was good but not adequate.
Vehicles imported without factory- fitted safety belts and speed governors will not be licensed. All public vehicles of 3.5 tonnes and above must be fitted with speed governors. The maximum speed is 80kph for public service vehicles and 60kph for heavy-duty vehicles.
The rules on speed governors take effect on August 1. Offenders face a sh600,000 fine or a two-year jail term, or both.
Nasasira said whoever drives while on mobile phone faces a sh200,000 fine or a year in jail, or both.
He said the Highway Code would be integrated into the school curriculum “so that our citizens learn about road safety at the earliest age.â€
He said drivers must demonstrate knowledge of the code to get a driving permit or renew one. The offences carry a fine up to sh600,000, or two years in jail, or both.
Drivers with a blood alcohol level beyond 80mg/100ml could be fined sh1.2m, or serve two years in prison.
Buses would not be permitted to make return journeys to Kampala if one way exceeds 300km.