Traffic police have strengthened deployment and announced new measures to help curb indiscipline on the road.
According to Faridah Nampiima, the spokesperson of the Traffic Directorate, the operations that started on Monday are intended to curb increasing traffic accidents.
“We have identified those black spots and we are going to deploy officers to operate there 24 hours a day. We are going to increase motorised patrols on the road. You will see more of our officers on the road,” Nampiima said.
She revealed that just in one month of May, a total number of 40,760 traffic violators were arrested and issued with Electronic Express Penalties Scheme (EPS) tickets for various traffic offences at various checkpoints in the country.
“Among these; speeding 1,855, reckless driving 6,978, DMCs 8,979, not wearing seat belts 3,156, invalid driving licenses 3,644, and driving without Third-party insurance 3,403 among others,” she said.
Nampiima said many offenders have been committing the same traffic offences nearly on a weekly basis even after giving them the EPS tickets, but in the latest operations, they would be detained and later on be taken to court.
“You find motorists who don’t wear seat belts over and even after giving them the EPS. If we get you again committing the same offence, you will be taken to court. Motorists who fail to comply with our traffic guidelines to stop will also not be issued EPS tickets. They will be taken to court,” she said.
Nampiima also disclosed that they are relaunching the Fika Salama operations which will operate 24 hours/7days.
“This will strengthen operations on speeding using the already deployed speed guns. We shall also ensure that only competent drivers are on the roads by checking for validity of their driver’s license all drivers are reminded to drive on roads with a copy of a valid driving license,” she said.
Nampiima further stated that they have started operations on bodaboda riders especially those carrying more than one person and those without helmets.