Police Warns against reckless Use of roads to curb road accident

By Ronald Alele 

Lira, Ug: The North Kyoga Regional Traffic Officer, Mathias Okwir Mulumba,has a appealed to all the road users to use the roads with care in order to curb the rising accident in the country.

"We remind all road users that road safety begins with you. Avoid behaviours that would lead you to accident. We expect every road user to be considerate to each other." Okwir said.

Okwir cautioned Boda -Bodas cyclist and drivers against Ignoring traffic rules and road signs which is partly contributing to increasing road carnage." We can prevent road carnage and other serious accident greatly if we are vigilant and observe traffic rules. As such, Observing and respecting road signs is of high essence". 

Okwir, urged drivers to cooperate with traffic Officers and drive safely, citing the book of Roman cheaper 13 verse 1-7 which says respect and obey your leaders .

He additionally advised drivers to reduce their Speed and be conscious of driving, by having the thought of their family at home, who are always looking forward for their return.

On Misconduct by some officers, afande Okwir cautioned road users against promoting bribes. 

According to Okwir, some drivers when caught in the act, often tempt traffic Officers with money to escape the consequences of breaking traffic laws, especially paying fine.

He said the act of road users bribing Traffic police or even the officers demanding money from road users is an offence.

" We don't condone our officers demanding money. Most times it is the drivers who starts the corruption process. Once someone is booked for any offences, the first thing they do first is to pull out their wallet and tempt our officers with money".Okwir said.

Meanwhile Hellen Apolot, the officer in charge Traffic and Road safety at Uganda National Road Authority U.N.R.A , said that although most people think that roads accident only occur in the middle of roads, they also occur on the sidewalks and the trenches. She attributed the common cause of accidents to violation of traffic rules and regulations.

She adds that, majority of accidents are those related to boda bodas, cyclist and drivers don't want to respect roads signs .

Apolot decry Increasing road carnage as many is buried, she noted that in Uganda, over 3,500 lives are lost every year and every day, up to 15 people sustain injuries due to road crashes.

,, This year we have lost very many people in road crashes and this means the Boda -Bodas cyclist and drivers must be extra careful while on the road so that we reverse this worrying trends, she said.

Kizito Okao , the Chairman Lira Amolatar Taxi Drivers and conductors Association OHuru Bar stage , who also double as Regional Coordinator of defensive driving training and road safety awareness Lango Sub -region challenged Boda -Bodas cyclist and drivers to adhere to all the traffic rules and regulations.

Okao, says all the efforts are in place to ensure the motorist follow the right procedures as they join business.

ASP Peter Ogwel , C.L.O Lira attributed numbers of increasing road accidents to Drug Abuse , Overloading, Use of headset, stress and unseriousness, reckless driving and riding among. others.

Ogwel called for cooperation among motorist and traffic Officers.