The number of road accidents in the West Nile is on the decline.
Traffic police accidents indicate that in January there were 74 serious accidents in the region. 19 fatalities occurred in an accident on the Metu-Laropi Road. In February, the number reduced to 62 with eight people killed.
The police are pleased with the decline and are hoping for a further reduction in road accidents.
Josephine Angucia, the West Nile police publicist, attributes the reduction in road accidents to increased community policing, tighter inspection of vehicles and the implementation of the express penalty scheme for traffic offenses.
Angucia explains that the majority of accidents in the West Nile are caused by human error. She says drunk driving and overloading of public transport vehicles are the main reasons for human error. She also points out that many drivers are poorly trained and do not know how to interpret and understand road signs.
There are claims that the police are complicit in this crime. The police are accused of taking bribes and turning a blind eye to poor drivers.
However the Arua traffic officer Sarah Nabukenya disputes this. She says that in the last two months the police have collected 13 million shillings in spot fines and there is an increased vigilance to prosecute repeat offenders.
###
