A recent report by the Uganda Police Force has revealed that most fatal road accidents in 2023 occurred over the weekends. The 2023 Annual Traffic Performance Report, released on May 17, 2024, provides detailed statistics on these tragic incidents.
The report highlights that Sundays had the highest number of fatal crashes, with 719 incidents recorded. Saturdays followed closely with 650 fatal crashes, and Mondays saw 608 fatal crashes. These numbers indicate a higher risk of fatal road accidents on these days compared to the rest of the week.
An observational study on speeding by the Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala supports these findings. The study found that speeding was prevalent on Sundays (18%), Saturdays (18%), and Mondays (17%). The report suggests that this high incidence of speeding might explain the increased number of fatal crashes on these days.
The Police noted that Saturdays and Mondays typically have fewer vehicles on the roads and less congestion. This might lead to more drivers exceeding speed limits, resulting in more fatal crashes. To address this issue, the Police emphasized the need to enhance speed enforcement on these days to ensure drivers adhere to speed limits.
The report, an annual publication by the Police, summarizes road traffic crashes reported from January 1 to December 31, 2023. It provides a comprehensive statistical overview of the nature and frequency of these accidents.
According to the report, collisions with pedestrians accounted for 40% of all fatal crashes, while head-on collisions made up 15%. This means that more than half of all fatal collisions involved either vehicles hitting pedestrians or vehicles crashing head-on into each other. Additionally, sideswipe collisions constituted 11%, and rear-end collisions made up 10% of fatal crashes. Angle collisions were responsible for 6%, and single-vehicle crashes accounted for 5%.
