Crackdown on Speeding Drivers Police Arrest 300 Offenders on Entebbe Expressway has 84 are killed in one week
Police have arrested and fined over 300 drivers for speeding on the Entebbe Expressway, where the speed limit is 100km/hr. This crackdown, called “Fika Salama extra,” began last month. 84 people were killed in road crashes between August 27 and September 2, 2023, with over speeding and careless overtaking cited as major causes.
Police have arrested and fined at least 300 drivers for over speeding along the Entebbe Expressway. The speed limit along the expressway is 100km/ hr.
Police recently launched Fika Salama extra, an operation targeting specifically motorists over speeding, especially along the expressway.
Speaking on Monday 4th September, the Traffic Police spokesperson, Michael Kananura said the 300 have been arrested since the operation started late last month.
“We have so far arrested 391 drivers who were captured by CCTV cameras for driving beyond speed limit along Kampala expressway. These were issued with Express Penalty Tickets,” Kananura said.
He however noted that of these, 10 drivers refused to stop when asked by police officers, adding that their vehicles have since been blacklisted after being charged with failure to comply with directives of police officers.
“They were charged with driving above the prescribed speed but also failure to comply with directives of police officers. Their vehicles have been blacklisted and drivers asked to report to the traffic directorate headquarters. If they fail to report, we shall trace, arrest and take them to court.”
Police mentioned a driver of a Range Rover registration number UBN 742G captured on CCTV cameras on August, 31 at 11:56am along the expressway cruising at 174km/ hour and when asked to stop by traffic police, he refused.
According to the Traffic and Road Safety Act 2023, any person who drives beyond the prescribed maximum speed limit commits and offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding shs2 million or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.
The law also says that at the discretion of the overall commander, the offender can be issued with an express penalty of shs200,000.
Police mostly opt for express penalty tickets to offenders since it is quick, saves time but also de-congests their cells.
84 killed in one week
According to the traffic police spokesperson, Michael Kananura, at least 84 people were killed between August, 27 and September ,2, 2023.
“During this period, the directorate of traffic and road safety registered a total number of 468 road crashes and out of these 76 were fatal, 252 were serious and 140 were minor. There were 537 victims, out of which 84 people died and 453 sustained injuries,” Kananura said.
He noted that of the 84 who died, 38 were on motorcycles or boda bodas and 10 of these were passengers whereas 28 were riders. The dead also included 10 pedestrians walking on roads.
“According to our investigations, the major cause of these accidents was careless overtaking and over speeding.”
