Planning required to halt bus accidents
May 14, 2009
In the last week we had four road accidents, involving buses, in which more than 40 people were killed and dozens injured.
In the last week we had four road accidents, involving buses, in which more than 40 people were killed and dozens injured.
According to witness accounts, most of the accidents came as a result of speeding and reckless driving.
In response, the Government has suspended the operations of Gateway Bus Company, pending the vetting of its drivers and the inspection of its fleet. The Police have impounded dozens of buses they do not deem road-worthy. This seems like a typical case of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.
The mounting number of road accidents are a symptom of a deeper malaise in our Government’s planning system. The knee jerk reaction of suspending Gateway’s operations is evidence of this.
Inferior driving schools, corrupt traffic policemen, poorly constructed roads, little evidence of uniform standards for passenger service companies, and road-users ignorant of their rights all conspire to cause these road accidents.
To curb the accidents, Government officials, from the works minister to the lowest traffic policeman or enforcer of driving school standards, should be made to understand that this is a priority. Uganda is a poor country but its human resource has unlimited potential. It is a fallacy to think we can afford to lose a few dozen people a week to senseless road accidents.
The Government policy on road usage should be brought into the 21st century and its implementation should be enforced in a coordinated way by the various overseers of the industry.
The importance of our road transport cannot be overemphasised given that we rely almost solely on it for our trade and commerce.
What more does it take for the Government or our political classes to take road carnage seriously? The death of one of their own or a close family member perhaps? It may very well come to that but it need not.
According to witness accounts, most of the accidents came as a result of speeding and reckless driving.
In response, the Government has suspended the operations of Gateway Bus Company, pending the vetting of its drivers and the inspection of its fleet. The Police have impounded dozens of buses they do not deem road-worthy. This seems like a typical case of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.
The mounting number of road accidents are a symptom of a deeper malaise in our Government’s planning system. The knee jerk reaction of suspending Gateway’s operations is evidence of this.
Inferior driving schools, corrupt traffic policemen, poorly constructed roads, little evidence of uniform standards for passenger service companies, and road-users ignorant of their rights all conspire to cause these road accidents.
To curb the accidents, Government officials, from the works minister to the lowest traffic policeman or enforcer of driving school standards, should be made to understand that this is a priority. Uganda is a poor country but its human resource has unlimited potential. It is a fallacy to think we can afford to lose a few dozen people a week to senseless road accidents.
The Government policy on road usage should be brought into the 21st century and its implementation should be enforced in a coordinated way by the various overseers of the industry.
The importance of our road transport cannot be overemphasised given that we rely almost solely on it for our trade and commerce.
What more does it take for the Government or our political classes to take road carnage seriously? The death of one of their own or a close family member perhaps? It may very well come to that but it need not.