Taxi Operators under the Federation of Uganda Taxi Operators (UTOF) in partnership with Traffic Police have laynched a road safety campaign targeting taxi drivers along highways.
According to Michael Kananura, the Traffic Police Spokesperson, the campaign that starts today is meant to prepare taxi drivers early enough to minimize occurrence of road crashes during the festive season.
The annual traffic and safety report 2023, shows that Uganda recorded a 30 percent increase in road fatalities, with 4,179 lives lost.
The death toll in road crashes also increased by 30 percent to 4,179 in 2023 from 3,210 in 2022 with serious crashes also increasing to 12,487 in 2023 from 8,860 in 2022.
At least 23,608 road crashes were recorded in 2023 compared to 20,394 cases registered in 2022.
Speaking to taxi operators who ply the Kampala-Masaka Highway at Kammengo play grounds yesterday, Kananura emphasized that every life matters.
“We need to prepare them on time we don’t have to wait for Christmas because putting aside the lives of people who perish towards the festive days even those who are dying these days they are human beings who must not die, we are mandated to protect them”, Kananura said.