The Ministry of Works and Transport has extended the road safety sensitization campaign through the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS)at Bugisu region .
The campaign aims to promote road safety awareness among students and reduce accidents.ITMS officials engage with students and communities to educate them on safe road practices.
The campaign took place at Wanyera Mbale Police Barracks Primary School, located in the Industrial City Division of Mbale City.
Steven Turyarugayo the public relations officer of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) said that according to the traffic and road safety annual police report of 2024 recorded over 5,000 fatal accident cases.
Half of these reported cases were caused by over speeding and reckless driving. The report highted that 14 people die everyday, whereas 2 school going children die daily due to road accidents.
Turyarugayo added that motorists have on numerous occasions violated traffic rules, such as not respecting zebra crossing at roads which has increased cases of accidents especially to school children.
According to the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System spokesperson, they have started visiting schools to sensitize children on road safety rules, including how to cross roads, use zebra crossings, and understand road signs, in a bid to curb accidents at Mbale city and Bugisu region at large before continuing with other regions or districts.
He noted that after the launch in Mbale City, they will identify schools in other districts for further sensitization.
Traffic police in Mbale noted that that despite efforts to promote community policing and sensitize pedestrians, especially boda boda riders, to respect traffic lights and zebra crossings, many have deliberately refused to comply.
According to police, since the term began, four road accidents have been registered where school children were knocked and seriously injured.
They said that whereas they have tried impounding vehicles and boda boda motorcycles that disregard zebra crossings and traffic lights, accidents have continued to rise in the city.
Milly Namataka, head teacher of Wanyera Mbale Police Barracks Primary School, welcomed the sensitization, saying it's likely to reduce road accidents.
She urged the government to increase penalties for pedestrians who break traffic rules, specifically those who fail to respect zebra crossings, traffic lights, and road signs.
The national campaign was launched in December last year 2025 and it's going to move country wide.
