Up to 600 drivers arrested without valid licenses in one week

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 619 drivers have been arrested by traffic police for driving without valid licenses in the past six days. These arrests followed operations conducted on various roads across the country. According to traffic police records, out of the 619 arrested drivers, 110 had no driving licenses at all, 275 were driving with expired licenses, and 230 were operating vehicles outside their authorized license classes.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Michael Kananura, the traffic police spokesperson, revealed that some drivers had forged driving licenses. “We will continue these operations to ensure that all drivers without valid licenses are arrested and penalized. How can you be driving when you’ve never held a driving license at all?” SP Kananura remarked.

Untrained drivers, as well as those operating vehicles outside their license categories, are suspected to be contributing factors to the high rate of road crashes. One such crash occurred on September 4 at Nakazzi in Luweero District, where a fatal accident claimed four lives.

The Luweero crash involved a truck driver who veered off his lane, causing a head-on collision along the Gulu-Kampala highway. SP Kananura noted that they are actively searching for the unknown truck driver responsible for the crash.

“We have been told by six survivors that the driver who also died in the crash was dozing and the passengers had warned him several times. Although it’s the truck driver who drifted from his lane, but also the Toyota Hiace driver was already tired. We ask passengers to always take enough rest and passengers should never allow fatigued drivers to drive them,” SP Kananura said.

Fred Tumwine, Chairperson of the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition of Uganda (ROSACU), and Winston Katushabe, Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Licensing at the Ministry of Works and Transport, emphasized the importance of ensuring public transport drivers get sufficient rest.

“It is important for the public transport drivers to be very sober and not drunk or fatigued. It is upon the owners of these public transport vehicles to ensure that their drivers have rested enough. When they are tired, they do not only crash the vehicles but kill passengers too,” Tumwine said.

As schools reopen, public transport drivers, especially those transporting children, are urged to exercise extra caution. SP Kananura and Jackson Musoga, Programs Officer at Hope for Victims of Traffic Accidents (HOVITA), reminded school van drivers to ensure the safety of children and warned against overcrowding in vehicles.

Parents and guardians are also advised to escort children under 12 to school, especially along busy highways. SP Kananura reiterated that commercial motorcycle riders must avoid carrying more than two children, and schools are advised not to hire trucks for student trips.

“Drivers are reminded to avoid carrying excess passengers and school vans should desist from carrying excess children,” Kananura said. Students are encouraged to use recognized taxis and boda Boda stages and avoid boarding tinted vehicles to ensure their safety.

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