The latest Uganda police traffic data shows the number of people dying on roads per day has increased from 10 to 12. For years, roads have been killings 10 people every day but police statistics of last year show the figures are now at 12.
At least 4,534 lost their lives in road crashes, according to a traffic directorate report released by Senior Commissioner of Police -SCP Lawrence Niwabiine, who is the acting unit’s director.
Road killings that skyrocketed in the 12 months of 2022 mean that the efforts of the government and civil societies have put in to minimize road deaths and injuries are far from yielding results.
Niwabiine explained that in comparison to the 2021 road deaths, there was a 9% increase in the total number of persons that died as a result of road crashes. Last year road crashes consumed the lives of 4, 534 people which was a rise from 4,159 deaths in 2021.
Police said in general, 20,394 crashes were reported out of which 3,901 were fatal, 10,776 were serious and 5,717 were minor. The number of fatal crashes increased by 16.9% from 3,757 in 2021 to 3,901 in 2022.
“The number of serious crashes increased from 9,070 in 2021 to 10,776 in 2022. The number of minor crashes increased from 4,616 in 2021 to 5,717 in 2022. Overall, there was a 17% increase in the number of crashes reported in 2022 from 17,443 crashes in 2021 to 20,394 crashes in 2022,” Niwabiine said.
As usual, the month of December registered the highest number of crashes with 2,013, it was followed by March with 1,824 road crashes and August which recorded 1,786 incidents of road carnage. December records high road crash numbers of increased human movement on roads as people go shopping or travel to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day with their relatives.
Police have also noted that there were 21,473 casualties from road crashes in 2022 which translates into a 19% increase compared to 2021. Not only road deaths increased by 9%, but also serious injuries increased by 21 percent while people who sustained minor injuries increased by 33%.
A number of road safety activists from among other civil society organisations Safe Way Right Way, a Hope for Victims of Traffic Accidents, and URRENO have raised issues of substandard crash helmets, improper investigations of road crashes, and gaps in enforcement of traffic regulations as reasons that have seen crashes keep increasing.
“We have put strategies to reduce road crashes and these are enforcement of traffic laws and regulations through targeted operations mainly focusing on boda-bodas and major risk factors such as speed, driving under influence of alcohol/drugs, seatbelt use, and distracted driving,” Niwabiine said.
Police also said they have built the capacity of traffic personnel to handle road safety challenges; engaged communities that include local council leaders, religious leaders, and community-based organizations at the grassroots.
The force also plans to set up automated Inspection of Vehicles to reduce the number of vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions that find their way onto the roads. Niwabiine hopes that setting up a real-time evidence and data management system will promote quick evidence-based traffic decisions. Other plans for the management of traffic crashes include strengthening the monitoring of CCTV to identify traffic offenders and aid