Uganda Traffic Police Tasked to Enhance Road Safety Ahead of Festive Season
By The Public Lens
Uganda’s traffic police have been put on high alert to curb road carnage as the festive season approaches.
Commissioner of Police Phillip Acaye has sounded the alarm, citing unprofessional behavior among some officers that contribute to accidents.
Acaye’s concerns include selective enforcement, extortion, poor work attitude, subpar customer service, and misuse of traffic gadgets.
Some officers are also more focused on social media jokes and funky music on their smartphones than their duties.
To address these issues, Acaye emphasizes individual accountability, shifting the focus from reprimanding supervisors to holding specific officers responsible.
“You either do the work, or be prepared to carry the cross, no more grilling of Regional Traffic Officers, it’s now individual accountability with effect from 1st October 2024,” Acaye stated.
A recent workshop in Jinja City aimed to revamp traffic management, with regional traffic officers, divisional traffic officers, and personnel from Kiira, Busoga East, and Busoga North police regions in attendance.
Uganda’s road safety situation is alarming, with 3,502 deaths in 2018, 4,159 in 2021, and 4,179 in 2023.
To combat this, officials are calling for enhanced implementation of the Global Safe System Approach (GSSA), a holistic framework for road safety.
Key Principles of GSSA:
– Safe Roads: Design and maintain roads to minimize risks
– Safe Speeds: Manage speeds to prevent crashes and minimize harm
– Safe Vehicles: Ensure vehicles are crashworthy and protect occupants
– Safe People: Educate and protect all road users
– Post-Crash Care: Provide timely, effective medical response
Regional Traffic Officers are urging motorists to adhere to speed limits, avoid drunk-driving, and understand traffic regulations.
Drivers with pending Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) tickets are warned to clear them as soon as possible.
The Uganda Police Force introduced EPS in 2015 to streamline traffic penalty payments, reduce corruption, and increase efficiency.
With the festive season approaching, the police are taking proactive steps to ensure safer roads for all.
