40 killed in accidents in 14 days? this is total madness
Enough is enough. Ugandans must stand up and ask for accountability. In less
than 14 days we have lost about 40 lives in road traffic accidents. This is
outrageous. On October 17, two separate accidents on Masaka Road claimed three
lives and left many other people critically injured.
What is baffling me though is that no one seems to care. Do we have any
ministry in charge or the minister in charge has given up and has left
everything to fate?
We have decried loss of innocent lives on bogus road accidents but nobody seems
to listen. What is mid-boggling is that most of these accidents are
preventable. They are actually not accidents, they are mere cases of
indiscipline on the part of the drivers!
Now, since policy makers seem too lazy to think about what can be done to avert
this calamity, let me provide a few tips on how this madness can be tamed. A
driver who causes an accident and is found to have been reckless should have
his driving permit cancelled, sent to Luzira Prison and thereafter be
blacklisted never to drive again.
Driving should not be a thing or job of school dropouts. Drivers should have a
minimum of S.4 or its equivalent. All drivers should undergo specialised
training. This business of drivers learning driving from relatives and friends
should be history. Uganda needs professional drivers. That’s why government
drivers are not the major offenders in these stupid accidents because one has
to have a minimum level of education to drive government vehicles. The major
culprits are usually taxi drivers.
Traffic police on roads should ensure all vehicles plying Ugandan roads are
road-worthy. The traffic officers who take bribes from motorists should be
prosecuted and dismissed from the force with disgrace. Big fines should be
imposed on drivers who cause accidents. This will deter reckless driving. The
issue of speed governors must be rejuvenated. Special vehicle inspection should
be done so that all vehicles (not only public this time) are installed with
speed governors.
Ugandans should ask themselves why these accidents are a major phenomenon in
Uganda and other developing countries? For instance, an accident in Europe or
USA makes headlines on international media because it is not a common
phenomenon. But in Uganda accidents are the order of the day! Accidents in
Uganda, no longer make big headlines because it has become a ‘’norm.’’ Enough
is enough. We must say no to this menace.
Ntegye Asiimwe,
Norway
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