With the ongoing political season and upcoming festivals, the Directorate of Traffic Police and civil society organizations advocating for road safety have warned of a potential surge in road crashes due to reckless driving.
According to last week’s Traffic Police report, 473 drivers were apprehended for various traffic offenses, including 225 cases of driving vehicles in poor mechanical condition, 142 instances of illegal vehicle modifications, and other incidents stemming from careless driving during political campaign activities.
Michael Kananura, the Traffic Police spokesperson, said that careless overtaking and speeding remain the primary causes of accidents on Ugandan roads. He noted concern over the disregard of traffic regulations during political campaigns and trials, which led to traffic disruptions and accidents.
According to Kananura, there has been a continued rise in reckless driving cases, especially during campaign events, often resulting in crashes that claim lives or cause injuries, affecting not only motorists but also innocent pedestrians.
Fred Tumwine, chairperson of the Road Safety Coalition (ROSACU), noted that more crashes are likely to occur due to heightened political excitement compared to the 2020 campaigns, which saw reduced incidents due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Tumwine said they have launched a sensitization campaign targeting political groups and motorists to promote road safety and reduce crashes.
