Nuwabiine’s report shows that 528, 027 tickets were issued to drivers and motorcyclists for driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions, careless driving, riding without crash helmets, driving without a valid driving permit, and obstruction on a road by loading or offloading.
The Traffic Police Directorate collected 41 billion
shillings in penalties in 2023 according to the report that has been released
by Senior Commissioner of Police –SCP Lawrence Niwabiine the acting director.
Nuwabiine’s report shows that 528, 027 tickets were
issued to drivers and motorcyclists for driving vehicles in dangerous
mechanical conditions, careless driving, riding without crash helmets, driving
without a valid driving permit and obstruction on a road by loading or
offloading.
“Among the leading offences, driving a motor vehicle
in a dangerous mechanical condition had the highest number of offenders with
99,068, followed by obstruction on road by loading or offloading with 95,667
offenders while driving without a valid driver’s permit had 77,430,” Niwabiine
said.
//cue in “most crashes…
Cue out “…productive age”//
The issued out tickets were worth 41.4 billion
shillings but 421.3 million shillings were never paid by the traffic offenders.
However, road safety experts have given divergent opinions on the huge amount
of money collected from traffic offenders.
Susan Tumuhairwe, the programs coordinator at Safe Way
Right Way (SWRW), believes that the penalties can enable drivers and
riders to become responsible and careful road users.
“I believe it [penalty] does.
Penalties are part of enforcement which is one of the 3 Es [engineering,
education and enforcement] of road safety. Penalties, if well executed can be a
deterrent measure,” Tumuhairwe said.
Fredrick Kiapi, the project manager of Hope for
Victims of Traffic Accidents (HOVITA) argues that traffic penalties have very
little to contribute to road safety. “All the penalty money goes to the
consolidated fund so it is up to the Ministry of Finance, planning, and Economic Development to budget its use. Little is invested in road safety,” Kiapi
said.
Most traffic offences were committed in November
whereby 53,684 cases were recorded leading to a collection of 3.77 billion
shillings. December which is known month for having festivities connected to Christmas
and New Year’s Day had the lowest number of traffic offences with only 25,921
tickets issued and a collection of only 1.388 billion shillings.
Police attribute the low traffic offences recorded in
December to heightened operations against offenders and drivers tend to be
very careful and also try as much as possible to repair their vehicles. Niwabiine
said most crashes occur between 6p and 8 pm.
Mr Joseph Kato graduated with a Master's Degree of Art in Journalism & Communication on February 02, 2024 at Makerere University. He holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Journalism and Media Studies which he attained in 2023 at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway.
Mr Kato holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University. The Master's Degree studies and a decade of journalism practice have enabled Mr Kato to be one of the reliable researchers in areas of conflict, r
