By Agnes Mwesigwa Isanhu
Road safety advocates are calling for urgent intervention to protect children on Uganda's roads following alarming figures contained in the 2025 Uganda Police Annual Crime Report.
According to the report, Uganda recorded more than 26,000 road crashes in 2025, resulting in over 5,000 fatalities, with children among those most affected.
The Executive Director of the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda (ROSACU), Sam Bambanza, said the increasing number of children dying or being injured in road crashes is a national concern that requires immediate and coordinated action.
"According to the 2025 Annual Police Report, Uganda recorded more than 26,000 road crashes, with over 5,000 fatalities. These figures should concern all of us because many of the victims are children whose lives can be protected through collective action," Bambanza said.
He noted that reducing road crashes involving children requires a shared responsibility between government, schools, parents and communities.
Bambanza urged schools to carry out regular risk assessments of the transport services they use to ensure learners are moved safely. He also called on government agencies to strengthen enforcement of road safety regulations, improve pedestrian infrastructure around schools and ensure safer road environments for children.
He further encouraged parents to prioritise the safe transportation of their children to and from school and to educate them on basic road safety practices.
Road safety campaigners say reducing child road fatalities will require stronger enforcement of traffic laws, improved road infrastructure, safer school transport systems and responsible road use by all motorists.
They argue that protecting children on Uganda's roads should remain a national priority, especially as road crashes continue to claim thousands of lives every year.
