The directorate of traffic police on Friday arrested and fined 173 drivers for driving under influence of alcohol in their resumed drink-driving operation across the country.
These drivers were arrested in the 6 divisions of Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) that included Kiira road, Old Kampala, Wandegeya, Katwe and CPS Kampala.
According to Michael Kananura the traffic police spokesperson, the drivers were all detained for the night and were released the following day after meeting the necessary requirements.
“All the drivers were detained up to the following day, fingerprinted and then after issued with express penalty of Shs. 200,000,” he explained.
In their recent statistics, Police noted that at least 2,000 people have been killed in the first six months of this year and road crushes continue to be on rise on Ugandan roads.
“Road crushes between January and July 2023 increased by 12.8% from 10,025 crushes in the same period last year to 11,312,” the statistics further revealed.
Drink-driving operations had been halted for a period of three years after the outbreak of the covid19 pandemic for fear of the spread of the virus. These were later re-introduced in August with the guidance of the Health Ministry.
As school children resume their studies today, the directorate of traffic and road safety reminded all students, parents, motorists and other road users to adhere to their road safety tips because times like this call for increased traffic flow on several roads and also increased road violations that can easily lead to road crushes.
Determined Kananura urged students to board taxis and boda-bodas from recognized stages and also cautioned them from boarding tinted vehicles as this will help to solve unpredicted problems.
Kananura further warned motorcyclists that carry more than 2 children that they will be arrested on sight and he later advised guardians and parents to be responsible to their children as they travel to and from school.
From 10-16 September, 431 road crushes were registered by traffic police on several roads across the country. Amongst these, 74 were fatal, 213 were serious and 144 were minor.
A total of 441 victims were registered of which 89 of these died and 352 sustained serious injuries.