|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Hillary Alithum
The department of traffic police in Zombo district has blamed the increasing road accidents on over speeding , recklessness and deliberate defiance of the road safety rules and regulations by motorists which has culminated into the 8 accident cases registered in a week across the district prompting the organization of a training on road safety rules , Regulations and an overview of the 2023 amendments in the traffic and road safety act of 2019 visioned to minimize road carnage in Uganda.
The increase in road carnage has become a national concern with the most recent country statistics by Monday 31st July standing at 451 registered accident cases ,with 77 being fatal ,219 were serious and 155 minor incidents. The accidents resulted in 417 victims including 79 fatalities and 338 injuries.
However the training that attracted more than 400 active cyclists from Paidha town council and many other stakeholders in the transport and Logistics industry of the district was calculative scheduled to address the incidents at the grassroots and eventually rescue the country by reducing the number of accident victims seeking treatment in different health facilities.
ISP Iglot Janns ,the officer in charge traffic at Paidha Central police station noted that the 8 accident cases were caused by over speeding and defiance of the traffic and road safety act 2019,” you are not suppose to ride any of the classes of motorcycles without a valid permit ,class A1 motorcycles have cubic capacity not exceeding 125 cc and 11kw for example Bajaj and senke, B1 is the tricycles and quad cycles but non of you have a single permit ” Jann said during the training.
Mr.Onenarach Fred ,the Chairperson Zombo district bodaboda association expressed worry over the operations of tricycles as far as safety on the road is concerned,” most of the riders of tricycles are not qualified to operate these machines , road safety measures of single head lamps and absence of reflectors causes accidents for other road users at night assuming they are motorcycles”.
Mr.Oryema Rasul , the vice Chairperson of West Nile Bodaboda Association said owners of tricycles should improvise headlamps to help road users distinguish between tricycles and motorcycles while moving at night.
SP Nahabwe Nelson , Zombo District Police Commander implored the different road users to always exhibit discipline while using the road ,” the moment you are riding a motorcycle , you are also directing the vehicles and pedestrians in front and behind you “.
The transport industry ( bodaboda ) has registered a very exponential growth across the country and providing employment opportunities to over 1500 youth and adults in Zombo district but with existential threat of increased road accidents due to poor road connectivity , recklessness of riders ,breach of the traffic and road safety act 2019 atmost border insecurity and porous crossing points through which stolen motorcycles are easily transported between Uganda and DRCongo.
If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via ultimatenews19@gmail.com or WhatsApp +255769138299
