By George Bukenya
In an effort to curb down the rampant accidents in the country, KCCA in conjunction with Amputee Self Help Network Uganda an umbrella organization for road accident victims have organized a bicycle riding event geared towards increasing awareness to the road users especially the motorists to respect the traffic rules and regulations while on the road.
The Executive Director of Amputee Self Help Network Uganda, Dr. Alex Munyambabazi asked government to consider people with Amputee while developing infrastructures especially roads and office building because they get a challenge while using such infrastures.
While launching the events, at KCCA the Authorities spokesperson Simon Peter Kasyate said that in the Smart City initiative, they are also aiming at encouraging the city dwellers to embrace using of bicycles as their quick and safe means of transport so as to ease the traffic jam.
He also said that in an effort of construction of better roads in the city, they will ensure that all new road designs have got walk ways and bicycle areas so as to reduce on the rampant road crashes.
The Directorate of Traffic and road safety Police spokesperson SP. Michael Kananura who also participated in the launch welcomed the initiative and said that this will help to increase awareness and in the long run help to curb down on the road crashes.
He warned motorists to stop thinking that they are only the one who are supposed to be on the road thus neglecting all other road users like motor cycle, bicycle and pedestrian’s who are the most vulnerable.
Kananura revealed that 13 people lose their lives on a daily basis in the country due to road crashes and of these 85% are pedestrians while 35 people escape with severe injuries every day.
“The fight for the prevention and reduction of road crashes in a responsibility of every road user because traffic police can’t be everywhere due to the limited number of man power, its therefor incumbent to everybody to be a police man of himself and for other road uses.’’ SP Kananura cautioned.
He warned Traffic police officer who are now caring on for traffic flow and ignoring the other road user aspects like observing all the road rules and regulations.