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Police announce new crackdown against drivers without licenses
Michael Kananura, the spokesperson of the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Police say all drivers without valid driving licenses should not risk driving on Ugandan roads beyond Monday.
Police’s Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has launched a crackdown on motorists and cyclists who do not have valid driving and riding licenses.
The crackdown announced on Monday targets errant motorists and cyclists on roads and highways across the country.
A driving license is a legal authorization or the official document confirming or authorizing a specific individual to operate a motorized vehicle such as a motorcycle, car, or bus on a public road.
Spokesperson of the directorate Michael Kananura says all drivers without valid driving licenses should not risk using the roads beyond Monday.
“Those without driving licenses at all, those with licenses that are out of class, and those with licenses which have expired, are all going to be targeted,” Kanaura told journalists in Kampala at weekly police press briefing.
He revealed that in these operations, offenders will be issued Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) tickets in line with 2013EPS regulations.
“Other operations that will be conducted are going to target boda bodas without reflective jackets, boda bodas without riding licenses, and boda bodas without crash helmets. Operations on drink and drive will continue and sensitizations on road safety will also continue,” Kananura explained.
Section 35 of the Traffic and Road Safety Amendment Act, 2020, says that a person shall not drive any class or motor vehicle, trailer, or engineering plant on a road unless he or she has a copy of a valid driving license or a copy of a valid learner driving license in respect of that motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant.
Section 176 of the same Act says any person who commits an offense is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding Shs600,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
The 2023 Annual Police Crime and Road Safety report shows that the number of reported incidents of road crashes increased by 16 percent from 20,394 in 2022 to 23,608 in 2023. Out of the total crashes reported, in 2023, 4,179 were fatal, 12,487 were serious and 6,942 were minor crashes.
There were 24,728 casualties from road crashes in 2023 compared to 21,473 in 2022, giving a 15 percent increase in the number of casualties.
In the year 2023, speeding and careless overtaking were the leading causes of road crashes, accounting for 50 percent of total crashes registered.
