news 16 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Traffic Police Launch School Road Safety Drive in Fort Portal
Uganda Police and partners are urging collective responsibility to curb rising road crashes, with two schoolchildren dying daily among 14 road fatalities. A campaign in Fort Portal schools highlighted dangers of overloading motorcycles and vehicles while distributing safety gear to pupils. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/traffic-police-take-road-safety-campaign-to-schools-5392372
Uganda’s Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, partnering with the Intelligence Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) under the Ministry of Works and Transport, is pushing for shared accountability among road users to slash accident rates, particularly for vulnerable groups like children.
SP Michael Kananura, the directorate’s Public Relations Officer, revealed that the 2024 Police Annual Crime Report documented 25,107 road crashes—a 6.4% rise from 2023—leading to 25,808 casualties. Daily, 14 people perish in such incidents, including two school-going children, with many others injured, often by reckless motorists or boda boda riders.
Kananura pinpointed rider and driver recklessness as the primary culprit, stressing that personal adherence to rules trumps mere enforcement. He called out parents for overloading motorcycles with three to five kids for school runs and warned school operators against packing vehicles beyond capacity, practices that heighten accident risks.
The initiative unfolded Friday around Fort Portal City schools like Tooro Parents Education Centre and Buhinga Primary School on busy Mugurusi Road. Teams sensitized pupils on safe road behaviors, crossing precautions, and sign respect.
ITMS representative Owen Muhumuza emphasized teaching kids traffic rules to safeguard their futures, advising against roadside play. Campaigners handed out helmets, reflector jackets for walkers, and educational materials to boost awareness.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)