The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has revealed that pedestrians contributed to the highest number of fatalities from road carnage between December 23 to December 26, 2022.
A report released by the Spokesperson Traffic and Road safety directorate, ASP Faridah Nampiima says that 21 persons walking on foot were killed while 41 others sustained serious injuries on the road during those festive days. She says the accidents were caused by careless use of the road by pedestrians and reckless driving on the part of motorists.
Nampiima told journalists during a press briefing that a total of 206 road accidents were recorded countrywide within the four days. Of these, 47 people died, 95 sustained serious injuries and 64 escaped with minor injuries.
The report shows that in the Kampala Metropolitan Area, 15 people died, 41 sustained major injuries while 46 got minor cuts.
In Kampala South, three people died, 16 had serious injuries and 21 got minor. Kampala East had 31 road crashes with 8 fatalities, 12 serious and 11 minor while Kampala North registered 14 fatalities, 13 minors and 3 minors. This brings the total number of crashes in Kampala to 102.
Other regions that registered accidents include; Kira Region with 7 accidents, Wamala 6 crashes, Bukedi North 4 crashes, Elgon Region 2 crashes, Busoga East 4, Rwizi 12 among others.
Motorcycle accidents contributed for 68 deaths, passengers on motorcycles were 8 and 53 injuries, Taxis 2 deaths and 4 injuries, other vehicles 24 injuries, Buses 0 deaths, 6 injuries while 1 driver died and 15 were injured.
She says the cause of the accidents is reckless driving, disregard for traffic rules and signals, over speeding, drunk driving and drifting lanes among others.
Nampiima says this year, however, saw a decrease in road accidents from 2021. According to Nampiima, in 2021, 56 people died, 101 sustained major injuries, 56 minor injuries attributing to a 3.29 percent decrease.
