Uganda pushes tougher school transport rules as road crashes surge

What the report says

Uganda’s transport authorities are seeking tighter rules for vehicles and drivers carrying schoolchildren, as officials say road crashes and unsafe travel conditions continue to put learners at risk. The Independent Uganda reports that the proposed measures include specialised certification for school transport drivers, tougher vehicle inspections, stronger enforcement against overloading, and wider use of speed cameras and number-plate recognition technology.

The push was discussed at a multi-stakeholder workshop in Kampala involving the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System Uganda, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda Professional Drivers’ Network, police and other stakeholders. Winstone Katushabe, the ministry’s commissioner for transport regulation and safety, said unsafe vehicles, overcrowding and poor safety features remain major concerns. He also called for defensive-driving training, background checks for drivers, safer school-zone infrastructure and stricter observance of low speed limits near schools.

The article places the debate against Uganda’s broader road safety problem, describing a high annual toll from crashes and deaths. It also follows recent incidents involving schoolchildren, including a July crash in Kapchorwa that killed pupils and an adult. According to the report, the education ministry has issued minimum safety standards for schools, while study trips and tours for learners have been suspended pending further consultation and longer-term measures.

Traffic police say enforcement is being intensified, including on route compliance, as authorities look for ways to reduce violations and improve accountability on the roads.