Traffic boss warns motorists over speeding ahead of festive season
The Director of traffic Dr Steven Kasiima talks to journalists. PHOTO BY ROLAND D. NASASIRA
What you need to know:
- On its first day on Tuesday, the caravan made stopovers at Kibuye, Nateete Taxi Park, Kyengera, Nsangi, Kasanje Junction, Kammengo and Kayabwe and educated road users especially taxi and bus drivers, motorcyclists and pedestrians along the highway on road safety behaviours.
- Gen Katumba also observed that to render the national road safety policy that Uganda launched in 2014 useful, other corporate companies need to join the struggle to educate the public about road usage.
The Director of traffic Dr Steven Kasiima has cautioned motorists against telephoning him or any of his traffic police officers to bail them out once arrested for reckless driving during the Christmas season.
Dr Kasiima made the remarks in Kampala as he, together with the state minister for works Gen Katumba Wamala flagged off a two-day on the road Tweddeko caravan to sensitise motorists against reckless driving as the Christmas season draws closer.
“If you are caught driving recklessly or abusing the road and you call me or any of my traffic officers to bail you out simply because they are your friends, sorry but it will not work this time round. You will face the law irrespective of where you work or whom you know,” Dr Kasiima said.
Organised by Vivo Energy together with NTV Uganda, the Tweddeko is a nationwide campaign aimed at ending road accidents along major Ugandan roads. The caravan started with Masaka road and is to be carried out along other major roads leading out of the city centre. Other partners of the campaign included the Uganda Police, National Road Safety Council and Uganda Red Cross.
On its first day on Tuesday, the caravan made stopovers at Kibuye, Nateete Taxi Park, Kyengera, Nsangi, Kasanje Junction, Kammengo and Kayabwe and educated road users especially taxi and bus drivers, motorcyclists and pedestrians along the highway on road safety behaviours.
Mr Gilbert Assi, the managing director of Vivo energy said; “It gives me great pleasure to see this caravan come to life. At Vivo, we give special focus to road safety. All our truck drivers receive defensive driving annually to refresh their minds. Over the years, we have gained some great lessons about road safety that we are eager to share with the public.”
The 25-vehicle caravan continued today from Lukaya, Mukoko, Mpugwe, Nyendo, Masaka town and stopped at Masaka liberation grounds where thousands of motorists gathered to learn about road behaviour.
They also received first aid training for supporting victims of road accidents as well as distribution of road safety material such as the Uganda Highway Code, road side charts and educational flyers.
Dr Kasiima noted that every year, approximately 200 to 300 people die along Masaka road that covers 120 kilometers from Kampala.
“As the festive season draws closer, we need to be careful while driving on the road. The season also coincides with the world day of road traffic crush victims which calls for more road safety,” Kasiima added.
Gen Katumba also observed that to render the national road safety policy that Uganda launched in 2014 useful, other corporate companies need to join the struggle to educate the public about road usage.
While at a stopover at Nabbingo to educate the locals about road safety, the area mayor Mr Abdu Kiyimba advised traffic police officers to use human approach to correct road errors and guide motorists on what they should do to avoid causing accidents.
“When you shout at a motorist because they are in the wrong, it does not solve the problem. But when you talk to them in a friendly manner, they listen and work on what you have advised them instead of shouting and commanding them,” Mr Kiyimba advised.
