CP Niwabiine admits that accidents that involve pedestrians usually occur as they try to cross the roads. He adds that 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.
Truck drivers have urged the Uganda police to conduct
regular mental tests for drivers in order to reduce road accidents.
At least 3663 people were killed in road accidents in 2020, according
to traffic police. Drivers under their umbrella body Haulage Trucker Drivers’
Association [HTDA] say police should not attribute all road accidents to reckless driving but should focus on what is actually forcing
people to cause accidents.
Shem Senoga, one of HTDA leaders says as truck drivers
they have identified a number of factors making people to knock pedestrians, motorcyclists,
ram into cars or veer off road. Senoga explains that under their body, they
have noticed that some people are abusing drugs while others are forced to cause
accidents because of very bright lights on cars coming from the opposite direction, narrow
roads used by heavy trucks as well as potholes.
HTDA urged the Traffic directorate currently headed by CP
Lawrence Niwabiine, to look at road designs, mental state of drivers, lights
mounted on cars as well as road signs which have been vandalized on major
roads.
Luganda
//cue in “bwobera nga…
Cue out “…kulaba.”//
Traffic director, CP Niwabiine, says pedestrians and
motorcyclists recorded the highest number victims of 2020 road accidents. Niwabiine explains
that pedestrians die most because of the many markets that have mushroomed along
highways and mostly in urban areas.
//cue in “we still loose…
Cue out “…their fate.”//
A report by Makerere University College of Health
Sciences School of Public Health highlights the need to put up measures to
protect pedestrians who are always the biggest number of victims of road accidents year in
year out.
In the study dubbed Road Traffic Injuries and Deaths
in Uganda, Dr. Olive Kobusingye, Prof. David Guwatudde, Dr. Milton Mutto and
Prof. Patrick Kyamanywa say pedestrian specific needs must be incorporated in
all road works, from planning, to design and implementation with attendant
supervision and audit.
Since most road accidents and victims are in Kampala
City and other urban centres, Dr Kobusingye, Prof. Guwatudde, Dr. Mutto and Prof.
Kyamanywa, add that most streets need to be rehabilitated in order to reduce
accidents.
“There is need for rehabilitation of most streets in
Kampala City and other towns to lane widths of at least 3.50 metres. Urban
authorities should consider converting narrow 2-way streets into one-way
streets to create wide lanes to accommodate motorcycles, motor vehicles, as
well as pedestrian walkways,” the experts highlight in the report.
CP Niwabiine admits that accidents that involve
pedestrians usually occur as they try to cross the roads. He adds that 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.
But Senoga insists that it is time traffic police
started focusing on road designs. This is because that some roads are narrow
yet they are used by heavy trucks. Senoga adds that potholes force drivers to
knock as they try to dodge them.
Police statistics show that 1,258 pedestrians and 1,146
motorcyclists were knocked dead in 2020 respectively. This means four pedestrians
and three motorcyclists were killed in road accidents every day.
World Health Organization –WHO report of 2020
acknowledges that road designs can have a considerable impact on their safety. WHO,
indicates that roads should be designed keeping in mind the safety of all road
users.
“This would mean making sure that there are adequate
facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Measures such as
footpaths, cycling lanes, safe crossing points, and other traffic calming
measures can be critical to reducing the risk of injury among these road users,”
WHO stated in its February 2020 report on road crashes.
In order to minimize accidents, WHO says effective
interventions that should be carried out include designing safer infrastructure and incorporating road
safety features into land-use and transport planning, improving the safety
features of vehicles, improving post-crash care for victims of road crashes,
setting and enforcing laws relating to key risks, and raising public awareness.
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.
