As schools across Uganda reopen for the new term, road safety authorities have sounded a fresh alarm over the rising number of child deaths in road crashes, revealing that two out of every 15 road traffic fatalities are children.
The warning comes at the conclusion of the “Safe Kids, Safe Future” national road safety campaign, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), the Uganda Police Force, and other partners.
The campaign, which targeted school-going children, highlighted critical gaps in protecting young learners on the roads .Road Safety Officer Kamoga Michael, speaking at the campaign’s closing event, noted that although the programme reached nearly 10,000 pupils in 12 schools and distributed over 4,000 road safety materials, logistical challenges prevented wider coverage. He said future efforts would expand to reach more learners nationwide.
Kamoga urged pupils to become active advocates for road safety by sharing what they learned with their parents and communities.“You should listen to the messages you have received and pass them on. If your parents are speeding, speak up and tell them to slow down,” he said.
He called for strict enforcement of reduced speed limits to 30 km/h in school zones, markets, and hospital areas, adding that the Ministry is working with traffic police to prepare stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Meanwhile, ITMS spokesperson Steven Turyarugayo presented worrying findings from the campaign’s report, stating that children continue to bear a heavy burden in road accidents due to poor infrastructure, inadequate signage, and limited road safety knowledge among school-going children.
Out of every 15 people who die in road traffic accidents, two are children,” Turyarugayo said.
He stressed the need for parents to avoid dangerous practices such as overloading motorcycles and vehicles when transporting children.
Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura attributed about 95% of road crashes to human error, including reckless driving, overloading, and disregard for school zones. He warned that these preventable behaviours put children at greater risk, especially now as schools reopen.
Kananura called for stronger enforcement, intensified awareness campaigns, and the urgent rollout of safe school zones across the country.“A safe child today is a safer future tomorrow. We must all work together to ensure children travel safely to and from school,” he said.
The partners pledged continued collaboration to improve road safety infrastructure, including better pedestrian crossings, speed humps, and helmet quality standards, while encouraging schools and communities to follow proper channels when requesting safety measures.
With thousands of children now returning to classrooms, authorities are urging all road users including drivers, parents, and communities to prioritise child safety and exercise greater caution on the roads during this critical period.
