FMU takes road safety campaign to schools

The Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU) has planned to extend its road safety campaigns to schools with a theme “Safety for School Going Children on Public Roads” which is aimed at mitigating preventable risk issues among children on Ugandan roads.

According to FMU’s road safety programs manager, Reynolds Kibira-Kadok, traffic injuries are an important problem in low income countries and in Uganda Road traffic is the largest single course of injury in Kampala. Pedestrians and children are the most affected.

“The high risk of traffic injuries amongst pedestrians is attributed to several environmental, developmental and social demographic factors,” Kibira says.

“Roads in developing countries often have mixed traffic, poor illumination, poor signage, poor maintenance and roadside hazards.

“In addition, high vehicular traffic, inversion of cars and vendors in pedestrian areas are risk factors also. High level risky pedestrians and driver road behavior plus inadequate infrastructure for safe mobility for pedestrians are some of the major causes of road safety.

“We want to change attitudes for the future of our country,” he explains. Though schools are closed, the campaign will start next year once reopening is granted.

FMU will set up Road Safety Clubs which they hope will help in a sustainable awareness campaign affecting attitudinal transformation leading to a better and safer generation in the hope of promoting sanity on the roads, thereby reducing traffic accidents. 

Teachers and guides will be trained and at the end of the year FMU will be awarding the best Road Safety clubs amongst the selected schools.

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