Kapchorwa school crash triggers push for tougher transport safety rules
Kampala: The government is considering tougher rules for vehicles transporting schoolchildren following a series of fatal road crashes, including the July accident in Kapchorwa that killed 21 people.
The proposed measures include specialised certification for school bus drivers, defensive driving training, regular background checks, stricter vehicle inspections and expanded use of speed cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
The proposals were discussed on Thursday at a multi-stakeholder workshop organised by Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda Professional Drivers’ Network, Traffic Police Directorate and other stakeholders.
The meeting, held under the theme “Safe Tours for a Safe Future: Making School Travel Safe Again,” focused on measures to prevent schoolchildren from being exposed to avoidable road risks.
Winston Katushabe, Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety and Chief Licensing Officer of Motor Vehicles at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said school transport requires stricter standards because of the number of children carried in some vehicles.
“Unroadworthy vehicles, overcrowding, and the lack of basic safety features continue to put school children at risk on Uganda’s roads. Safer school transport can no longer wait,” he said.
Katushabe said school transport drivers should undergo specialised certification and defensive driving training rather than relying solely on ordinary driving permits.
He also identified speeding, reckless overtaking, distracted driving and the use of unqualified drivers as major threats to learner safety.
Under the proposed measures, authorities want schools and local governments to establish designated pick-up and drop-off points, pedestrian crossings and speed humps around schools. They also want the 30km/h speed limit in school zones to be enforced more strictly.
The government plans to strengthen digital traffic enforcement through speed cameras and ANPR systems, which can identify vehicles and assist authorities in monitoring traffic violations.
Uganda records more than 25,000 road crashes annually, with thousands of people killed or injured. The issue of school transport safety came under renewed scrutiny after a July crash in Kapchorwa involving a King David Junior School vehicle left 20 pupils and one adult dead.
Police subsequently launched operations targeting school vehicles accused of overloading and violating other safety requirements.
The Ministry of Education and Sports has separately directed schools to comply with the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for Educational Institutions.
Ministry spokesperson Denis Mugimba said school vehicles must have valid Private Motor Omnibus (PMO) licences and Inspection of Vehicles (IOV) certification, remain roadworthy and be operated by drivers holding the appropriate permits.
The suspension of school study trips and educational tours remains in place as the government consults stakeholders on longer-term safety measures.
Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura said enforcement would focus on speeding, overloading and compliance with approved routes, alongside greater use of the Express Penalty System.
Steven Turyarugayo, an ITMS representative, said artificial intelligence-enabled features of the system would assist in identifying and monitoring vehicles and strengthening accountability.
Stakeholders said the reforms would only succeed if schools, parents, drivers, transport operators and enforcement agencies take responsibility for learner safety.
The discussions come as authorities face increasing pressure to prevent road crashes from turning school journeys into avoidable tragedies.
