[Uganda] Vivo Energy trains bus drivers on road safety ahead of the festive season
Vivo Energy, the company that distributes and markets Shell branded fuels and lubricants in 16 African countries, trained 100 bus drivers from leading bus companies on road safety on 6th November 2014 at G1 hotel in Rubaga a head of the festive season.
Over the years it has been observed that road accidents increase during the festive season often resulting from errors triggered by fatigue since drivers make many trips without rest and from over speeding to increase the number of trips. Road accidents in this season also result from reckless driving, drunk driving, and use of mobile phones while driving due to festivities.
According to police reports, there are 200 black spots along several roads that motorists should take care of to reduce on the road carnage. The dangerous spots are due to sharp corners, lack of road signs, large potholes, and narrow roads, among others.
Speaking at the training, Cerinah Zalwango, the Corporate Communications Manager, Vivo Energy, said that the highest numbers of road accidents are registered in December because there are many vehicles on the road as people travel up-country. She urged the drivers to be mindful of their lives and those of their passengers.
“As bus drivers you carry many people’s lives in your hands therefore you ought to take this responsibly seriously. Just imagine what will happen to your family if you are reported dead after an accident. I urge you to actively participate in this defensive driving training to ensure you fulfil your responsibility in changing the poor statistics on road accidents in this season” Cerinah noted.
It’s estimated that more than 3,000 people die every year in traffic accidents in Uganda and another 15,000 are injured.
The chairman of the Uganda bus drivers association Yunus Kigundu commended Vivo Energy for the training and he admitted that most bus drivers lack road safety training. "We have lost 4 bus drivers in a space of 2 months this year due to road accidents." He added.
Many Ugandans rely on buses, matatu’s and bodaboda’s for movement, hence the need for more energy and resource to be focused on enhancing safety of the public road transport system. It has been observed that many hospitals in East Africa have reserved special wards for boda boda accident victims since they are the most affected.