Report: Speeding accounts for 36% of all road fatalities in Uganda

Speeding by motorists is a leading cause of fatalities on Uganda's roads, according to the Police's annual traffic report 2020.

While officiating at the launch of the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week 2021 at Uganda Media Centre, the Minister of Works and Transport,Gen Edward Katumba Wamala said that speed is a factor in over 50% of road crashes in Africa.

He said speeding makes driving more dangerous because it reduces reaction time.

"It reduces a vehicle's ability to brake and increases the risks to pedestrians and cyclists outside the vehicle," he said adding that research has shown that reducing speed by 5% cuts fatalities by 30%.

In 2020, the reported deaths due to road crashes in Uganda were 3,663.

According to the 2020 Police Annual Report, more fatalities were recorded for persons below the age of 35years and these accounted for 57% of all the fatalities.

This bracket includes school going children most of whom have to commute to and from school which increases their risk of exposure in crashes.

Katumba said his ministry is committed to implementing policies and interventions that promote walking, cycling and use of public transport as inherently healthy and environmentally friendly modes of transport.

He said that cabinet approved the Road Safety Policy in 2014 that guides the development of programmes and activities to improve the road safety situation in the Country.

"My Ministry also amended the Roads Act and the Traffic and Road Safety Act all with an aim of providing for safer roads and better road safety management,"he said adding that they are in the process of developing regulations to operationalise these laws.