Drivers face 0.2m/- fine for mobiles
Jun 14, 2004
THE ministry of works, housing and communication has issued new road safety measures that include maximum speed limits
By Hamis Kaheru
THE ministry of works, housing and communication has issued new road safety measures that include maximum speed limits for all vehicles, a ban on using mobile phones while driving and blood alcohol limit.
The maximum speed for public service vehicles (buses, omini buses, taxis) is 80km per hour and 60km for heavy goods vehicles.
Drivers who exceed the speed limit will be liable to two years imprisonment or a maximum fine of sh600,000 or both.
Speed governors approved by the ministry are to be installed in all public service vehicles, private omni buses and goods vehicles of 3.5 tons and above.
The regulations issued by the permanent secretary, C. Muganzi, take effect from August 1.
“No driver or supervisor of a learner driver shall use a hand-held mobile phone or any other communication equipment while driving or when the vehicle is in motion,†Muganzi said in a June 12 statement.
The regulations on mobile phones take immediate effect.
Violations carry a maximum fine of sh200,000 and/or one year jail term.
Hands-free mobile phones and emergencies are exempted.
From July 1, no motor vehicle shall be registered or licensed unless all its seats are fitted with safety belts, and all passengers and drivers are required to wear the belts all the time when the vehicle is moving.
The punishment for drivers who violate seat belt regulations is three months’ imprisonment or a sh40,000 to sh80,000 fine or both.
Passengers face a sh20,000 fine or one month in prison for the same offence.
Speed limit for vehicles in urban areas or built-up areas is 50km per hour.
Motorcars of not more than 3,500kg with seven passengers are allowed 100km per hour in rural areas on paved roads and 80km on gravel roads.
Other passenger vehicles and light goods vehicles of less than 3.5 tons are allowed 80kms per hour on paved roads and 60km on gravel roads.
The speed limit for heavy goods vehicles of 3.5 ton and above is 60km on both paved and gravel roads.
The regulations take immediate effect and carry a maximum sentence of sh200,000 fine or one year in prison or both.
Persons whose blood alcohol levels exceed 80mg/100ml or have a breath alcohol level above 35 microgramms/100ml are barred from driving with immediate effect. Violation leads to a maximum fine of 1.2m or two years’ imprisonment.
Return trips for buses on long distance routes exceeding 300kms are banned.
All motorcycle riders and passengers are required to wear helmets throughout the journey.
Commercial motorcycles (boda boda) must have a special license under class M issued by the Transport Licensing Board.
The regulations indicate that boda boda cyclists must wear bright or light coloured and reflective clothing and use dipped headlight during the day time.
The regulations concerning boda boda also take effect from 1st July.
Muganzi said the Express Penalty Scheme, which was launched in April 2003 and piloted in Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja and Masaka districts would be extended to cover the whole country from July 1.
The fines prescribed for minor offences under the scheme range from sh20,000 to sh200,000 and are payable in 28 days.
THE ministry of works, housing and communication has issued new road safety measures that include maximum speed limits for all vehicles, a ban on using mobile phones while driving and blood alcohol limit.
The maximum speed for public service vehicles (buses, omini buses, taxis) is 80km per hour and 60km for heavy goods vehicles.
Drivers who exceed the speed limit will be liable to two years imprisonment or a maximum fine of sh600,000 or both.
Speed governors approved by the ministry are to be installed in all public service vehicles, private omni buses and goods vehicles of 3.5 tons and above.
The regulations issued by the permanent secretary, C. Muganzi, take effect from August 1.
“No driver or supervisor of a learner driver shall use a hand-held mobile phone or any other communication equipment while driving or when the vehicle is in motion,†Muganzi said in a June 12 statement.
The regulations on mobile phones take immediate effect.
Violations carry a maximum fine of sh200,000 and/or one year jail term.
Hands-free mobile phones and emergencies are exempted.
From July 1, no motor vehicle shall be registered or licensed unless all its seats are fitted with safety belts, and all passengers and drivers are required to wear the belts all the time when the vehicle is moving.
The punishment for drivers who violate seat belt regulations is three months’ imprisonment or a sh40,000 to sh80,000 fine or both.
Passengers face a sh20,000 fine or one month in prison for the same offence.
Speed limit for vehicles in urban areas or built-up areas is 50km per hour.
Motorcars of not more than 3,500kg with seven passengers are allowed 100km per hour in rural areas on paved roads and 80km on gravel roads.
Other passenger vehicles and light goods vehicles of less than 3.5 tons are allowed 80kms per hour on paved roads and 60km on gravel roads.
The speed limit for heavy goods vehicles of 3.5 ton and above is 60km on both paved and gravel roads.
The regulations take immediate effect and carry a maximum sentence of sh200,000 fine or one year in prison or both.
Persons whose blood alcohol levels exceed 80mg/100ml or have a breath alcohol level above 35 microgramms/100ml are barred from driving with immediate effect. Violation leads to a maximum fine of 1.2m or two years’ imprisonment.
Return trips for buses on long distance routes exceeding 300kms are banned.
All motorcycle riders and passengers are required to wear helmets throughout the journey.
Commercial motorcycles (boda boda) must have a special license under class M issued by the Transport Licensing Board.
The regulations indicate that boda boda cyclists must wear bright or light coloured and reflective clothing and use dipped headlight during the day time.
The regulations concerning boda boda also take effect from 1st July.
Muganzi said the Express Penalty Scheme, which was launched in April 2003 and piloted in Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja and Masaka districts would be extended to cover the whole country from July 1.
The fines prescribed for minor offences under the scheme range from sh20,000 to sh200,000 and are payable in 28 days.