As schools reopen for the third term of study on Monday, September 16, 2024, the traffic police have launched a road safety campaign to protect school-going children from road crashes.

Michael Kananura, the traffic police spokesperson, while speaking to journalists on September 16, 2024, revealed that Uganda has witnessed a disturbing trend of deaths involving children in road accidents. He noted that in 2022, 650 deaths were reported, while 870 in 2023, and 234 have so far been reported in 2024.

The traffic police called upon students, parents, motorists, and school administrators to be vigilant and put an end to this dilemma.

Read Also: Police caution Parents against Neglecting School-going Children

Kananura emphasized that there is a need for collective responsibility for road safety and called upon the public to report reckless drivers and work together to ensure road safety for school-going children.

“Avoid driving on shoulders; many vehicles are going to be on roads as they drop children off at school. All of us should exercise patience and discipline to avoid chaos on the road,“ Kananura said.

Children who attend school are particularly susceptible to accidents when traveling on the roads; therefore, there is a need to make sure they do so securely by taking good transportation and walking in groups. It’s critical to emphasize the role that everyone plays in averting disasters by utilizing parents and schools to enforce safety measures that protect children.