40% of road fatalities are drunk drivers

By Lawrence Mulondo

TRAFFIC police senior commissioner Stephen Kasiima has revealed that 40% of drivers that die in accidents are drunken drivers.

Speaking at the unveiling of Uganda Breweries Limited’s (UBL) new campaign against drunk driving, named the Red Card to Drunk Driving, Kasiima said that over consumption of alcohol is dangerous to one’s brain.

“Drunken drivers pay little attention to road signs, they can hardly move cars out of parking and cannot see properly at night since their sight is affected by alcohol which causes accidents,” Kasiima said.

He however said that even drunken pedestrians are responsible for some accidents that happen because they cross roads recklessly, putting their lives in danger.

He said that some of the people that are knocked down by vehicles, when checked are found with alcohol in sachets.

Kasiima said that police collects sh100m monthly from drunken drivers when arrested and pledged to continue operations until people stop drinking and driving.

He also said bodabodas are pushing development backward as far as traffic is concerned and requested their leaders to sensitize riders about respecting traffic rules if they want to keep working in the city.

He advised them not to forget their helmets when riding, provide helmets for their passengers, respect traffic lights and also avoid over loading.

National Road Safety chairman, Dr Myers Lugemwa said that about 3000 people are buried each year because of road accidents.

“Man is responsible for road safety. It is man to stop all bad habits like drunk driving,” said Lugemwa.

UBL corporate relations officer Charity Kiyemba said that the campaign is part of the company’s ‘Alcohol in Society’ agenda, through which it ensures that the use of alcohol does not cause harm to its consumers.

“Preventing drunk driving and underage drinking is at the cornerstone of UBL’s mission to encourage responsible drinking to ensure the enjoyment of its respectable brands,” she said.