A new bill proposed by government wants motorists jailed for up to ten years for knocking dead other road users.
The proposals contained in the Traffic and Road Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2019 push for an increase in fines and penalties for traffic offences including a ten year jail time for death from reckless driving.
The Bill tabled before Parliament by Works and Transport Minister Eng. Monica Ntege Azuba seeks to amend the 1998 Traffic and Road Safety Act. It proposes new traffic and road safety measures intended to strengthen road transport regulation and management.
According to Azuba, the Bill takes into account new and emerging trends and dynamics in road transport and road safety management, the increased number of road users, and the need to conform to the regional and international agreements Uganda is signatory to.
Azuba further noted that the Bill seeks to provide definition of careless, reckless and dangerous driving, which would be required to guide Police in their application.
In the Bill, government proposes that a convicted offender leading to the death or causes injury to a person will be liable to ten and three years in prison respectively.
The current law provides for a penalty of a maximum of 5 million Shillings or Five year imprisonment upon conviction.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, referred the Bill to the Committee on Physical Infrastructure, which is required to report back to parliament within 45 days as required by the Rules of Procedure.
