{UAH} UGANDA'S ROAD CARNAGE CAN AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED:
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UGANDA'S ROAD CARNAGE CAN AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED:
Scale of the problem:
Scores of people die on Uganda roads daily, and many more are seriously injured and permanently disabled. It's so routine a feature that it hardly causes any alarm any more! Most countries of the world will go into national mourning if 10 people died in one accident.
Even by "Ugandan standards", the last few weeks have witnessed an escalation of gruesome road accidents resulting in many deaths. Our country needs to reflect on this scourge and tackle it effectively.
Regrettably, record keeping and data collection in our country is appalling. Therefore, it's not possible to have reliable figures on the road traffic accidents, injuries and deaths. The records compiled and published in the Police Annual Crime and Traffic/ Road Safety reports are very lacking. The determined efforts of the overworked and under-resourced traffic officers still result in gross under-estimates
The 2012 Police report indicates that 2,611 people died, while 9,030 were seriously injured in road accidents that year. The reports, so far, show that nearly 3000 people die in accidents every year. This is, in itself, a huge number. However, the estimates by World Health Organisation's (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety are three to four times higher.
While the police report records the 2013 deaths as 2,954, WHO estimates it to be between 8307-11,004. Uganda has the 5th highest road death rate in Africa, after Nigeria, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau and Chad. Uganda stands alone in East and Central Africa.
Africa, where Uganda is in Super League of road deaths, has the most dangerous roads on earth! Though Africa has 2% of world's vehicles, she accounts for 16% of world road death!
Remarkably, the greatest majority of those who die in road accidents are not in the vehicles that crash. 42 out of every 100 dead are killed while walking on foot- pedestrians! 10% are on bicycles and 17% on Boda-boda. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users (VRUs).
The majority of those killed on the roads are young breadwinners. 62% of deaths occur in the 15-44 year age group. Apart from loss of lives, the cost on Uganda's "makeshift" health services is enormous. It's estimated that 2.9% of Uganda's GDP (about $ 1.6 bn) is lost annually due to Road Traffic Crashes. Uganda's road carnage, therefore, seriously hurts development.
Causes:
The causes of the disaster are easy to make out. Most important are the following:
1. Absence of research (information to advise policy markers) on road safety management.
2. Poor policy and regulatory framework to provide for good road safety management; safer vehicles; safer road users and a good post-crash response.
3. Poor implementation/ enforcement.
4. Poor road infrastructure.
5. Population ignorant about road safety.
Though Uganda joined the rest of UN members to launch the 2011-2020 Decade of Action for Road Safety, 3 years down the road, there is nothing in policy and action to show any commitment to it. Indeed there is an escalation of road carnage.
Policy shortcomings:
1. There is no funded National Strategy that sets targets for reduction of deaths and injuries.
2. No policies to separate road users, as way of protecting the vulnerable road users- Pedestrians and cyclists.
3. No comprehensive policy on education and awareness.
4. Poor policies on driver instruction and licensing.
5. No policies on mass public transport. Though government is implementing a policy of UPE and USE, there is no policy on how the huge number of school children will safely get to and from schools in urban centres.
6. No policies to support investment in public transport.
7. No national speed limits on urban roads- not to exceed 50km/hr.
8. No national motorcycle helmet law covering all riders, on all roads and setting out helmet standards.
9. Drink-drive law is based on high Blood-Alcohol- Concentration of 0.8g/dl as opposed to a recommended maximum of 0.5g/dl.
10. The Traffic and Road Safety Act 1998 has many gaps and most of its sanctions are not deterrent. I understand that a review of this Act has been going on for years.
Poor policy implementation/ enforcement:
Like in all government departments, this is mainly caused by:
1. Very low competence of officials (corruptly recruited and poorly trained/skilled).
2. Absence of clear tasks, measurable outcomes, and effective supervision.
3. Lack of adequate and appropriate equipment, like breathalysers and speed guns.
4. Very poor motivation due to very poor conditions of service and system of rewards (inequitable and poor pay).
5. Political interference in process of policy implementation. An example of this is the Speed Governor policy, where buses were made to buy the Governors, but politicians interfered with police enforcement until the policy fizzled out.
6. Lack of system of accountability in the entire government. Pervasive corruption- petty and grand.
Poor road infrastructure (engineering design, maintenance, road signs and markings)- common problems include:
1. Very narrow roads that do not offer any separate spaces for the different road user categories.
2. Roads constructed with slippery and uneven surfaces; moreover, without appropriate road signs.
3. Very poor maintenance standards- resulting in deep potholes, sharp and hanging road shoulders, flooded roads, etc.
4. Poorly designed and/or located road humps and without appropriate road signs.
5. Road intersections without traffic lights and/or appropriate road signs and markings.
6. Unacceptably sharp corners and steep inclinations; moreover, without appropriate road signs.
7. Unsafe and very narrow bridges; mostly, without appropriate road signs.
Poor road safety awareness:
This is a very critical area that merits mentioning separately. As indicated above, 42% of those who die from road accidents are pedestrians. It's important and urgent that there are clear programs that are vigorously implemented to raise road safety awareness.
Many countries structure these programs into three parts:
1. Road aware parents and children 0-4yrs.
2. Road aware kids 4-15yrs.
3. Road aware young drivers (15-25yrs) and parents of young drivers.
Road rules tests can be made compulsory in all schools!
Poor post-crash response:
It's necessary and urgent to invest in emergency care. To have more and properly equipped emergency care units and ambulance services across the country. Many people die of otherwise survivable injuries because there is no ambulance, or the health facilities are ill equipped to treat the injuries.
Conclusion:
The most fundamental responsibility of any government is the protection of people's lives. It's possible to effectively address the horrific road carnage on Ugandan roads. However, it will not be achieved unless we have and implement appropriate policies; have effective, more efficient, and accountable government institutions, within the purview of a responsive and good government.
Kizza-Besigye.
10th September 2014.
--
"War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse, with a mixture of other means. Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
-- Scale of the problem:
Scores of people die on Uganda roads daily, and many more are seriously injured and permanently disabled. It's so routine a feature that it hardly causes any alarm any more! Most countries of the world will go into national mourning if 10 people died in one accident.
Even by "Ugandan standards", the last few weeks have witnessed an escalation of gruesome road accidents resulting in many deaths. Our country needs to reflect on this scourge and tackle it effectively.
Regrettably, record keeping and data collection in our country is appalling. Therefore, it's not possible to have reliable figures on the road traffic accidents, injuries and deaths. The records compiled and published in the Police Annual Crime and Traffic/ Road Safety reports are very lacking. The determined efforts of the overworked and under-resourced traffic officers still result in gross under-estimates
The 2012 Police report indicates that 2,611 people died, while 9,030 were seriously injured in road accidents that year. The reports, so far, show that nearly 3000 people die in accidents every year. This is, in itself, a huge number. However, the estimates by World Health Organisation's (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety are three to four times higher.
While the police report records the 2013 deaths as 2,954, WHO estimates it to be between 8307-11,004. Uganda has the 5th highest road death rate in Africa, after Nigeria, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau and Chad. Uganda stands alone in East and Central Africa.
Africa, where Uganda is in Super League of road deaths, has the most dangerous roads on earth! Though Africa has 2% of world's vehicles, she accounts for 16% of world road death!
Remarkably, the greatest majority of those who die in road accidents are not in the vehicles that crash. 42 out of every 100 dead are killed while walking on foot- pedestrians! 10% are on bicycles and 17% on Boda-boda. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users (VRUs).
The majority of those killed on the roads are young breadwinners. 62% of deaths occur in the 15-44 year age group. Apart from loss of lives, the cost on Uganda's "makeshift" health services is enormous. It's estimated that 2.9% of Uganda's GDP (about $ 1.6 bn) is lost annually due to Road Traffic Crashes. Uganda's road carnage, therefore, seriously hurts development.
Causes:
The causes of the disaster are easy to make out. Most important are the following:
1. Absence of research (information to advise policy markers) on road safety management.
2. Poor policy and regulatory framework to provide for good road safety management; safer vehicles; safer road users and a good post-crash response.
3. Poor implementation/ enforcement.
4. Poor road infrastructure.
5. Population ignorant about road safety.
Though Uganda joined the rest of UN members to launch the 2011-2020 Decade of Action for Road Safety, 3 years down the road, there is nothing in policy and action to show any commitment to it. Indeed there is an escalation of road carnage.
Policy shortcomings:
1. There is no funded National Strategy that sets targets for reduction of deaths and injuries.
2. No policies to separate road users, as way of protecting the vulnerable road users- Pedestrians and cyclists.
3. No comprehensive policy on education and awareness.
4. Poor policies on driver instruction and licensing.
5. No policies on mass public transport. Though government is implementing a policy of UPE and USE, there is no policy on how the huge number of school children will safely get to and from schools in urban centres.
6. No policies to support investment in public transport.
7. No national speed limits on urban roads- not to exceed 50km/hr.
8. No national motorcycle helmet law covering all riders, on all roads and setting out helmet standards.
9. Drink-drive law is based on high Blood-Alcohol- Concentration of 0.8g/dl as opposed to a recommended maximum of 0.5g/dl.
10. The Traffic and Road Safety Act 1998 has many gaps and most of its sanctions are not deterrent. I understand that a review of this Act has been going on for years.
Poor policy implementation/ enforcement:
Like in all government departments, this is mainly caused by:
1. Very low competence of officials (corruptly recruited and poorly trained/skilled).
2. Absence of clear tasks, measurable outcomes, and effective supervision.
3. Lack of adequate and appropriate equipment, like breathalysers and speed guns.
4. Very poor motivation due to very poor conditions of service and system of rewards (inequitable and poor pay).
5. Political interference in process of policy implementation. An example of this is the Speed Governor policy, where buses were made to buy the Governors, but politicians interfered with police enforcement until the policy fizzled out.
6. Lack of system of accountability in the entire government. Pervasive corruption- petty and grand.
Poor road infrastructure (engineering design, maintenance, road signs and markings)- common problems include:
1. Very narrow roads that do not offer any separate spaces for the different road user categories.
2. Roads constructed with slippery and uneven surfaces; moreover, without appropriate road signs.
3. Very poor maintenance standards- resulting in deep potholes, sharp and hanging road shoulders, flooded roads, etc.
4. Poorly designed and/or located road humps and without appropriate road signs.
5. Road intersections without traffic lights and/or appropriate road signs and markings.
6. Unacceptably sharp corners and steep inclinations; moreover, without appropriate road signs.
7. Unsafe and very narrow bridges; mostly, without appropriate road signs.
Poor road safety awareness:
This is a very critical area that merits mentioning separately. As indicated above, 42% of those who die from road accidents are pedestrians. It's important and urgent that there are clear programs that are vigorously implemented to raise road safety awareness.
Many countries structure these programs into three parts:
1. Road aware parents and children 0-4yrs.
2. Road aware kids 4-15yrs.
3. Road aware young drivers (15-25yrs) and parents of young drivers.
Road rules tests can be made compulsory in all schools!
Poor post-crash response:
It's necessary and urgent to invest in emergency care. To have more and properly equipped emergency care units and ambulance services across the country. Many people die of otherwise survivable injuries because there is no ambulance, or the health facilities are ill equipped to treat the injuries.
Conclusion:
The most fundamental responsibility of any government is the protection of people's lives. It's possible to effectively address the horrific road carnage on Ugandan roads. However, it will not be achieved unless we have and implement appropriate policies; have effective, more efficient, and accountable government institutions, within the purview of a responsive and good government.
Kizza-Besigye.
10th September 2014.
--
"War is nothing but a continuation of political intercourse, with a mixture of other means. Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."
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