The statistics issued by directorate of traffic show over 80 people have lost their life in various road crashes in a space of eight days. On Wednesday, 28 people perished in three separate road crashes.
One of the major crashes that claimed 21 people involved a Link Bus which lost control and plunged into tea gardens in Fort Portal. On the same day, six people died in the Mbale-Tirinyi road.
The Tirinyi crash involved three vehicles UAT 995A Toyota Raum, UBH 437K a Toyota Hiace and UBJ 676W also a Toyota Hiace. Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Faridah Nampiima, said the crash occurred at 6am.
Nampiima identified the death victims in Tirinyi crash as Mulabi David, Namarome Fatima, Nambafu kurusum, Kafero isaka, and one unidentified male adult. Some of the passengers in the three vehicles sustained serious injuries while two others not identified survived the accident.
“The cause of accident has been attributed to speeding by taxi UBJ 676W. The drivers of both Toyota Hiaces are on the run, and efforts are underway to have them arrested,” Nampiima said.
Before the Tirinyi and Fort Portal road crashes, Nampiima had earlier said that over 60 people had died in several road crashes between April 25 and May 2 which was Eid Elfitr day early this week. This brings the number of death victims to more than 80 people in less than ten days.
Police have cautioned all road users to be disciplined while on the road. She explains that most of the accidents are as a result of human errors that are avoidable once we drive carefully and responsibly.