By George Bukenya
Police impounds an Ambulance of Specialist Doctor International medical facility carrying a dead body and was travelling from Jinja to Kyoteera. Its driver is on the run and being hunted.
The impounded Ambulance is allegedly caused a fatal crash that claimed lives of two people a motorcycle rider and his passenger died at the spot while one other bodaboda rider was also left critically injured.
According to the Traffic Police spokesperson SP. Michael Kananura, the Ambulance registration number UAY 400Y both Bajaj Boxer, carrying a dead body was overtaking motorcycles registration number UEW O20M and UDZ 939B with an alarm signaling give way and in the process it crashed with two motorcycles killing instantly two people and injuring one.
“ First of all its illegal for an Ambulance to carry a dead body and demand for a right of way, the privilege of right of way is only allowed when such motor vehicle is carrying a sick person rushing to hospital,’’ Kananura said.
He said that the Ambulance driver is on the run and being hunted by police to answer charges of causing death to two people and injuring another. The body that was found in the ambulance is kept at city mutually in Jinja City and police is trying to liaise with the relatives of the deceased to go and collect their body.
Another fatal crash also occurred on 13th July, 2024 along Kampala-Masaka high way at Katende in Mpigi District and this claimed one life. Kananura also said that on 14th July another accident occurred on Iganga –Bujiri high way where a Tata lorry currying cement registration number UBG 397 corroded with truck number ZG 2941 currying fuel which caused fire that burnt two other motor vehicles leaving one unknown person dead.
Meanwhile, Kananura while addressing reporters at Naguru based Police Headquarters revealed that in the period running from 7th -13th July, 2024, a total of 81 people lost lives due to road crashes of these 35 were motorcycle riders, 28 pedestrians, 13 passengers on motorcycles, 3 bicycle riders and one was a motor vehicle driver.
According to the traffic Police mouth piece, of the total crash death, 59% were of motor vehicle and their passengers, 35 pedestrians and the causes as usual was overtaking contributing to 31% , over speeding 19% and others such as drink-driving took the remaining percentage.
He also said that in the routine operations aimed at cracking down traffic law breakers, a total of 787 motorcycles riders were arrested and their motorcycles impounded especially those found ridding without crash helmets and reflector jackets.
Of these, 331 had no helmets and reflector jackets, 71 were found without permits, 107 were holding permits which are out of class and 149 riders had expired permits.
Kananura also revealed that police is stack with a sizeable number of motorcycles that are un claimed and called on people to go and claim theme as long as they have proper documents showing ownership and those whose logbooks are with banks should also get a letter from their respective banks indicating that the logbook is being held by such bank as a collateral security and their motorcycles will be released.