The excessive loading of boda boda riders has been identified as a significant factor contributing to deadly road accidents in the country.
The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety emphasizes that the disregard for various traffic laws and regulations has made boda bodas a predominantly dangerous mode of transport, responsible for a substantial portion of road fatalities nationwide.
According to the directorate’s spokesperson, Michael Kananura, a recent report shows that boda bodas accounted for nearly half of all fatalities at 49% between October and November 19, 2024.
In the week of October 27 to November 3, 2024, it was revealed that 35 motorcyclists and six passengers lost their lives, followed by pedestrian-related incidents which accounted for 38% of the overall deaths, with 32 pedestrians tragically killed in the road crashes.
“Our key observations were, motorcycles remain a high-risk mode of transportation accounting for nearly half of all fatalities of 49%,” he noted.
Even for this past week ending November 17, 2024, boda bodas accounted for the death of 34 people.
Kananura noted that on November 1, 2024, a tragic road accident in Mayanja Valley, Kawanda, along Bombo road resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
The incident involved a Sino Truck trailer registration number UBR 197D/UBQ 402Q, and a motorcycle carrying three passengers, including a three-week-old baby girl.
The accident occurred when the trailer, en route from Kampala to Bombo, attempted to overtake the motorcycle. During this maneuver, the trailer’s rear blushed the motorcycle, causing the rider to lose control.
The impact threw the passengers an infant, her mother, and a caregiver—under the rear tires of the trailer, resulting in their immediate deaths.
According to Kananura, the motorcycle rider was thrown off the vehicle and fell beside the road but later succumbed to injuries.
He attributed the accident to the reckless overtaking by the trailer driver, who failed to take into account the proximity of the motorcycle.
“But we also don’t underestimate the overloaded motorcycle which compromised the control of the rider,” he added.
A comparable incident also occurred in Luuka district, in Namulanda village, where a speeding Tata lorry blushed a motorcycle carrying four individuals.
This impact caused the rider to lose control, resulting in the motorcycle crashing, which led to the immediate death of one person and left three others with serious injuries.
Kananura emphasized that these incidents highlight the critical need for safe overtaking practices, awareness of nearby vehicles, and compliance with motorcycle passenger regulations.
“Each motorcycle is restricted to carry only one passenger to ensure control and safety,” he noted.
Kananura emphasized the importance of road safety for motorists and motorcyclists.
All boda boda drivers are urged to consistently adhere to traffic laws and regulations and to exercise caution when overtaking to prevent similar incidents in future.
“That is if there are oncoming vehicles or other vehicles close to you, do not consider to overtake,” he added.
He emphasized the importance of not overloading motorcycles, stating that carrying more than one passenger is highly unacceptable as it poses significant dangers, jeopardizing the safety of all individuals involved.
“If you are a passenger out there, before you consider sitting on a motorcycle that already has a passenger, please consider your life. It is also important to wear protective gears including helmets, reflect jackets and others while onto a motorcycle,” he added.
Alarming pedestrian fatalities
Kananura highlighted the alarming statistic of 32 pedestrian fatalities in a single week, emphasizing that their safety is a pressing issue.
He pointed out that reckless driving behaviors, particularly unsafe overtaking and speeding, are major factors contributing to such tragic incidents.
One specific case he mentioned involved a speeding motorcycle that fatally struck a pedestrian on November 1, 2024, in Okutai village along the Pallisa-Kumi Road around 6:45pm.
The horrific hit-and-run occurred when the driver of a Toyota Premio, with the registration number UBD 864G, was traveling at high speed from Kumi towards Pallisa.
The impact was so severe that it resulted in the loss of the victim’s thigh and leg, with other body parts entering the vehicle through the windshield.
Following the incident, the driver proceeded to Kumi Central Police Station to report what had happened.
In a related incident, another vehicle, a truck with registration UBL 249V, struck and killed a pedestrian who was crossing at a designated zebra crossing in Nakilebe along the Kampala-Masaka Road.
Kananura attributed both accidents to excessive speeding and a disregard for pedestrians’ right of way.
He emphasized that the two incidents, along with several others not reported, underscore the critical need to comply with speed limits consistently, particularly in urban or congested areas where the new regulations mandate a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
He called on all drivers to practice caution and remain alert while on the road, taking into account the presence of other vulnerable road users.
Additionally, he highlighted the necessity of honoring pedestrian rights at all times, especially at marked crosswalks.
“Every time we get close to zebra crossings it is very important to stop and let pedestrians use those areas to cross the roads,” he adde
