The Uganda Police Force in partnership with the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Health, Uganda National Roads Authority launched Operation Fika Salama Extra campaign as special intervention to reduce road crashes in Uganda.
According to the global status report on Road Safety 2018, 1.35 million people died and 50 million sustained injuries globally. Developing economies record higher rates of traffic injuries with 93% of all fatalities coming from Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
In Uganda we lose 12 people daily on average in traffic road crashes. It is against this background that the Directorate of Traffic and Road safety in partnership with other stakeholders have launched operation Fika Salama Extra. Fika Salama Extra is emphasizing and putting more effort on what has been ongoing such as enforcement, Road Safety education & engagement with other stakeholders.
Fika Salama Extra checkpoints along all major highways will be re- activated from August 2023 to January 2024. Speaking at the launch today, SP Kananura Michael PRO Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety said that speed is a major risk factor and is among the leading causes of road crashes. “An increase in speeds reduces your reaction time, braking distance and stopping distance.
The speed at which a vehicle travels directly influences the risk of a crash as well as the severity of injuries and likelihood of death. Therefore, enforcement is critical for achieving safe use of roads and compliance to speed limits,” SP Kananura said. He added, “Every person who drives a motor vehicle of any class or description on the road at speed greater than the prescribed maximum speed limit in respect of that road commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 2million shillings or imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or both.
At the discretion of the overall commander, the offender can be issued with an express penalty of Shs200,000/-” He further revealed that Traffic Police will conduct snap checks along dark spots on major highways depending on intelligence. “We shall also use CCTV cameras to monitor & capture offenders. This information will be passed on to the officers at the Fika Salama Extra Check Points,” he noted. Police emphasized that habitual offenders will be taken to court for prosecution and drivers of PSV Motor Vehicles who violate this law will also be taken to court. Drivers that will fail to comply at the checkpoints will be blacklisted, tracked and motor vehicles will be impounded.
281 Drivers were captured by CCTV Cameras for violating speed limit along Kampala- Entebbe Express in an operation conducted for 13 hours. Traffic Police also revealed that according to (C/S 111 T&RS Amendment Act 2020) driving with blood alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit is prohibited. “Drink driving is a risk factor and it has been identified as a major cause of death not only in Uganda but worldwide, alcohol impairs both the driver’s vision and decision making and this puts all road users at high risk of injury or death,” SP Kananura noted.
The Traffic Directorate has identified high risk roads where most accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol occur especially along Ggaba Road, Jinja Road, Kira Rd, Entebbe Road, Kampala -Entebbe Express-Way, Northern by pass and some streets in Central Business District (CBD). “We have therefore decided to intensify operations targeting drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol,” he asserted. Section 111 of T & RS Amendment Act 2020 provides for the offence of driving with blood alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit. The Traffic and Road Safety (Prohibited Drugs and Alcohol Limit) Regulations 2023 provides for both prescribed blood alcohol levels and prescribed breath alcohol levels; Regulation 3 provides that the prescribed blood alcohol level of a driver of a vehicle other than a public service vehicle or ambulance is 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood while that of a driver of a public service vehicle or ambulance is 20 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millitres of blood. Regulation 4 provides that the prescribed breath alcohol level for a driver of a vehicle other than a PSV or ambulance is 25 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millitres of blood while that of a driver of a PSV or ambulance is 10 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millitres of breath.
Section 111 (1) of the Traffic and Road Safety Amendment Act 2020 provides that a person who contravenes this law is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 6,000,000 Ugx or Imprisonment not exceeding three years or Both. At the discretion of the overall commander, the offender can be issued with an express penalty scheme of 200,000/= Ugx
Last Friday, Traffic Police arrested 38 drivers who were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol from the operations carried out along Ggaba & Jinja Road. “We are therefore extending these operations to cover the entire Kampala Metropolitan Area, other cities and some highways that have been identified,” Kanaura emphasized. In these operations Police have added a component of taking biometrics (Finger prints) so as to have a profile (Database) of drivers who will have been found to be driving motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol. This database will subsequently be integrated with that of INTERPOL. Police have also pledged to use their committed teams to do these operations with enough equipment which are well calibrated.
Fika Salama Extra Operations will also look at other offences which include careless overtaking, driving without valid driver’s license, driving out of class, carrying excess passengers, dangerous loading, driving a motor vehicle in a dangerous mechanical condition.
The Fika Salama Extra shall also focus on Joint Sensation on road safety to improve and promote road user behaviors or discipline through the following means; We shall continue to use media such as Television stations, Radio stations and newspapers to reach out to road users.Conduct physical engagements from Bus terminals, taxi parks, markets, schools, churches, mosques, boda boda stages. Social media platforms e.g Twitter, whatsapp, tiktok and police websites to circulate road safety messages,” Kananura said. Road safety brochures, stickers, flyers and banners with road safety messages in different languages will be distributed at Fika Salama Extra check points. In the month of August, Police have so far covered a total number 20 TV Shows, 89 Radio Shows and 247 Physical Engagements on Road safety sensitizations across the country targeting all road users with emphasis on primary school going children aimed at creating road safety awareness.