Police gets UGX 8b in traffic fines

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Police collected 8 billion shillings from traffic fines in 2018. This was revealed by the Director of Traffic Dr Steven Kasiima.

Dr Kasiima said 5.07 billion shillings was collected from common offences handled under Fika Salama while 3 billion was collected from fines to defaulters. Kasiima explained that careless driving, dangerous loading, driving motor vehicle without a valid driving permit, driving vehicles without insurance and carrying excess passengers earned the police force huge amount of money.

Police said Shs1.5b was collected from 7,995 over speeding drivers, Shs1.2b was collected from 11,989 careless drivers, Shs603m from 1,005 drivers driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions (DMCs), Shs358m breach of operator’s license, and Shs263m was collected from 2,630 drivers driving motor vehicles without valid driving permit.

Shs122m was collected from 1,529 drivers not wearing crash helmet, Shs116m was collected from 1,164 drivers driving without reflectors, Shs114m was collected from 572 drivers carrying excess passengers and Shs199m was collected from 996 drivers over dangerous loading.

“Forty-seven thousand one hundred and six traffic offenders were arrested at the Fika Salama checkpoints in 2018. 26 % of all traffic offenders arrested during Fika Salama operations were charged for careless driving,” Kasiima said.

Traffic report shows 523 motor vehicles were impounded in January whereby Shs271m was collected through fines, Shs253m was collected from 500 vehicles seized in February, Shs295m was earned from 696 impounded cars in March, Shs359m was gathered from 803 cars that were impounded in April, Shs481m was collected from 1,048 impounded in May and Shs331m from 779 impounded cars in June.

“We shall enhance operation targeting motorists who violate regulations that include speeding, drunk driving, and reckless driving,” Kasiima said.

In July, traffic police collected Shs514m from 1,100 confiscated cars, in August police earned Shs396m from 846 impounded cars, in September Shs354m was collected from 751 seized cars, in October police collected Shs156m from 509 seized cars, Shs247m was collected from 1799 impounded cars and Shs246m from 710 impounded cars.

To reduced road carnage, Kasiima said traffic directorate will liaise with ministry of works and transport to ensure safety of pedestrians by looking at strategies aimed at improving pedestrian safety since 40% of all fatalities are pedestrians.

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