Traffic Police have intercepted a driver who was transporting 35 students in a 14-seater vehicle, raising fresh concerns over road safety as the holiday travel season begins.
According to Traffic Police spokesperson Micheal Kananura, the driver of vehicle registration number UA 667DN was stopped on Friday while ferrying the students, aged between 15 and 21, from Ibanda to Kasese under dangerously overcrowded conditions.
“The driver of vehicle number UA 667DN has been intercepted while transporting 35 students aged btn 15 and 21 from Ibanda-Kasese loaded dangerously,” Kananura said.
He added that the driver is currently detained at Mbarara Central Police Station pending court action.
“The driver has been detained Mbarara CPS and is awaiting court action. Meanwhile, safer & appropriate transport arrangements are being made for the students,” he said.
Police said the situation was made worse by the presence of flammable materials in the vehicle.
“Disturbingly, the vehicle was also carrying jerrycans of petrol, with some students stepping on them while others were positioned on top of the vehicle. This created an extremely hazardous situation that could have resulted in a serious fire incident,” Kananura noted.
Authorities warned that such reckless conduct puts lives at risk and urged the public to take personal responsibility for safety on the roads.
“Safety must never be compromised. We should not wait for enforcement to act, everyone has a responsibility to make safe decisions and prevent such risks before they occur,” he said.
Police also commended members of the public who reported the incident in time, enabling officers to intercept the vehicle before it could evade enforcement.
“We commend the whistleblower who alerted Police in time, preventing the driver from using shortcut routes to evade enforcement,” Kananura added.
With schools closing and travel increasing, Traffic Police have issued a stern warning to motorists against violating road safety regulations.
“As the holiday season begins & more children travel, all motorists are strongly warned to desist from such traffic violations and others related. We remain vigilant on the roads and strict action will be taken against offenders,” he said.
Police noted that ensuring the safety of children on the roads requires collective effort from drivers, parents and the wider public.
“Ensuring the safety of our children is a shared responsibility. Let’s all play our part,” Kananura said.
