The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 98 people were killed and 336 injured in road crashes over the past seven days, statistics from the Directorate of Traffic Police have revealed. The breakdown of fatalities includes 20 pedestrians, 34 motorcyclists, and 44 passengers, either in vehicles or on motorcycles. Motorcycle accidents accounted for nearly half (48%) of the fatal accidents, while car accidents contributed 26%.
Superintendent of Police Michael Kananura, the spokesperson for the Traffic Police, identified careless overtaking, over speeding, and violations of route charts by bus drivers as the primary contributors to these crashes.
Among the most tragic incidents were two bus accidents on the Masaka-Mbarara road. The first involved a Jaguar bus with registration number UBP 964T, which collided with a Canter Tipper and overturned at Kabaale Bugonzi Valley in Kalungu District, resulting in eight fatalities.
Just days earlier, another accident occurred in Kyazanga, Lwengo District, where a bus traveling from Kisoro to Kampala collided with a lorry transporting maize flour, claiming six lives and leaving several others injured. In response to these incidents, Kananura explained that Traffic Police have intensified operations on highways, targeting unlicensed drivers, especially bus drivers who violate the stipulated route charts.
Road accidents remain one of the leading causes of death and disability among young and productive Ugandans. The recently released 2023 Police and Traffic Accident Report indicates a 35% increase in road crashes compared to the previous year.
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