Kampala, May 16, 2024 – The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety of the Uganda Police Force has released its Annual Performance Report for 2023, revealing a significant increase in road traffic crashes and fatalities across the country. This comprehensive report provides a detailed statistical summary of the road traffic incidents reported to the Uganda Police from January 1 to December 31, 2023.
Key Statistics and Trends
The report indicates a worrying rise in the total number of road crashes, which increased by 16% from 20,394 in 2022 to 23,608 in 2023. Fatal crashes rose by 7%, from 3,901 in 2022 to 4,179 in 2023, while serious crashes saw a 16% increase, reaching 12,487 in 2023. Minor crashes also increased, from 5,717 in 2022 to 6,942 in 2023.
“The highest number of crashes was recorded in December, with 2,131 incidents, while January saw the lowest with 1,787,” noted the report. July had the highest number of fatalities (457), and November had the lowest (332).
Time and Day Analysis
The report highlights that 62% of all crashes occurred during the daytime, specifically between 0700 and 1859 hours. The highest number of crashes was recorded between 1800 and 1959 hours, with a notable drop after 2000 hours.
“More crashes were reported on Saturdays than any other day of the week, totaling 3,675 incidents,” the report states. Conversely, Tuesdays saw the fewest crashes, with 3,096 incidents.
Relatedly, more fatal crashes were registered on Sunday than on any other day of the week, while fewer fatal crashes were reported on Tuesday.
Collision Types and Causes
Collisions with pedestrians constituted 20% of all crashes, followed by rear-end collisions (17.85%) and side swipes (14.3%). Head-on collisions and angle collisions accounted for 11.3% and 9.5%, respectively.
“More than half of all road crashes were due to careless overtaking and speeding, accounting for 52% of all incidents,” the report highlights.
Vehicle Involvement and Victim Statistics
Motorcycles were involved in 36% of all crashes, followed by motor cars at 28%. Light omnibuses, light goods vehicles, and medium goods vehicles also had significant involvement in crashes.
The total number of casualties reached 24,728, with 4,806 fatalities, 16,736 serious injuries, and 3,186 minor injuries. Notably, motorcycle riders and their passengers accounted for 45% of the fatalities, while pedestrians constituted 37%.
“The majority of road crash victims were males, representing 74% of fatalities, with more than half of these victims being under the age of 35,” the report details.
Strategic Initiatives and Challenges
In response to these alarming statistics, the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety undertook several strategies in 2023 to reduce road crashes. These included the apprehension of 528,025 offenders, the inspection of 11,351 crash vehicles, and extensive public sensitization through television and radio talk shows.
“Despite these efforts, the increase in road crashes and fatalities underscores the need for enhanced enforcement and continued public awareness,” said a representative from the Directorate.
Global Perspective
According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, road traffic deaths and injuries remain a major global health and development challenge, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt. Uganda’s fatality rate stands at 16 deaths per 100,000 population, slightly below the African region’s average but still alarmingly high.
The Uganda Police Force’s Annual Performance Report for 2023 serves as a critical reminder of the ongoing challenges in road safety and the urgent need for continued efforts to mitigate road traffic incidents and enhance the safety of all road users in Uganda.
