The data on road fatalities compiled by traffic police directorate show the number of Ugandans killed in road crashes doubled those who succumbed to Covid19 in the last two years.
Uganda was in two years of total and partial lockdown in a bid to control the spread of Covid19. According to Worldometers, a renowned website in giving latest Covid19 statistics, 3,596 Ugandan as of May 24, 2022 have died of the highly contagious disease.
But in the same period, 7,822 Ugandans have been killed on roads where by most of the victims have been pedestrians, followed by motorcyclists and passengers on motorcycles.
Police statistics contained in a report released by Acting traffic and road safety director, Commissioner of Police -CP Lawrence Niwabiine, shows last year was very lethal to road users leaving 4,159 dead.
Niwabiine figures show 1,390 motorcyclists, 1,384 pedestrians, 528 passengers on motorcycles and 200 drivers lost their lives in road crashes last year. This was the first time the number of motorcyclists killed road crashes surpassed the number of pedestrians.
“Accidents that involve pedestrians usually occur as they try to cross the roads. In some cases, pedestrians fall victim when vehicles veer off the road and plough into them. Other accidents occur when a driver trying to avoid collision with another vehicle ends up hitting pedestrians,” explains Niwabiine.
The 2020 traffic and road safety deaths stood at 3,663 according to CP Bazir Mugisha, who was at the time the Acting traffic police director. In 2020, pedestrians were the most people killed in road crashes standing at 1,258, motorcyclists killed on roads were 1,146 while passengers on motorcycles were 409.
Mugisha explains that the numbers of motorcyclists and their passengers increases every year because people like them for their flexibility and versatility. However, police indicate that many riders are very careless on roads.
The 7,822 people killed on roads in two years of Uganda’s lockdown show the deaths are double compared to 3,596 Covid19 killings. Niwabiine and Mugisha say during the lockdowns, there were very few cars and motorcycles on roads something that tempted people to speed thus making every crash very lethal.
In a bid to minimize road crashes, Niwabiine says police arrested and fined 336,722 traffic offenders in 2021. The biggest number of offenders was apprehended over careless driving, over speeding, driving vehicles and motor vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions.