Police starts campaign to sensitise taxi drivers on road carnage

The campaign which started in Kamengo is aimed at fighting road crashes, along Masaka-Mutukula, Ssembabule and Mbarara highways.

As a way of curbing reckless driving, the police spokesperson, Faridah Nampiima, said the Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety had also decided to reinstate driver badges.

“Following the crashes of buses on the road, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has taken a decision to reinstate the driver badges immediately,” Nampiima who was addressing the press on Monday January 9 during the weekly Police security press said.

She also directed all traffic officers to randomly check on driving licenses for three days effective today.

All motorcycle riders have in the meantime been given three days to renew, and carry copies of their driving licenses.

Nampiina also reemphasised Police would arrest and fine any Taxi, bus or any other car on the road without a triangular reflector.

After Christmas celebrations last year, Police has revealed that a total of 55 people perished in road crashes across the country in just four days during the Christmas season from 23rd to 26th December.

Addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru, Nampiima noted that the 55 people were from the 267 road accidents across the country that also left 212 other people seriously injured.

Over 3,500 traffic offenders were arrested during the same period, according to Nampiima.

She revealed that there was a slight reduction in the number of road crashes this year from 272 in 2021 to this year’s 267 accidents.

A new Police report revealed that the number has since gone up from 55 to 79 deaths in the days after Christmas celebrations to 1 January 2023.