By Sylvia.
The Rwenzori west police have come up with strict measures in the fight to curb road carnage. Speaking to our reporter, The Rwenzori West police spokesperson Vincent Twesige, has disclosed that majority road accidents in Uganda are due to human error.
The Measures
The measures that have been put in place include;
- Sensitization /community policing within boda boda riders, truck drivers, bus and taxi drivers,
- Operations on drink and driving, reckless driving and those with DMCs,
- Patrols or snap checks all over the highway roads entering fort portal city.
Twesige, has further stated that the police cannot achieve this unless they work together with the community. He therefore appealed to the public to report to police whoever is misusing the road for purposes of reducing road carnage.
PRO on road carnage
However, according to police,for the last two weeks, Fort Portal and the entire region have not registered many accidents compared to other parts of the country.
Last week at least 18 people perished along the Kampala -Gulu highway when a bus rammed into a trailer that had been parked alongside the road.
Road Accident Statistics on rise nationwide
According to police reports, between December 23 and January 7, more than 120 people have died and scores have sustained serious injuries due to road accidents across the country.
The major accidents that rocked the last days of 2022 and the 2023 initial week are; the Masaka-Mbarara road crash which claimed 10 lives on December, 28, Buloba multi-car crash along the Kampala-Mityana road killing 3 family members, on December 30, and the Kabale-Ntungamo road crash which left at least 6 people dead on the same day.
Ministry responds
In a bid to curb the rampant road in December 2022, the Ministry of Transport and traffic police issued new guidelines, which are intended to prevent speeding, drink driving and driving without a valid license, among others.
According to the guidelines, the drivers who commit serious offences would be arrested or detained for two hours to be sensitized about traffic laws.
Police was also to ensure that all drivers involved in crashes have their fingerprints taken and tested for alcohol.
