The Ministry of Works and Transport, in partnership with the Lagacy Road Safety Initiative, has announced the inaugural Road Safety Marathon, set to take place on May 31, 2025, at the Kampala Secondary School Grounds. The event, scheduled to start at 6:30 AM, aims to raise awareness about the alarming state of road safety in Uganda.
State Minister for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, emphasized the urgent need for collective action in reducing road traffic fatalities and injuries.
According to the Uganda Police Traffic Road Report of 2024, we lost 5,144 people to road crashes in just one year.
The Minister pointed out that road crashes cost Uganda an estimated 5% of its GDP, a burden that significantly diverts resources from other critical services. He noted that the figures could be higher as many fatalities go unreported, especially in rural communities where victims are buried without official documentation.
The Road Safety Marathon will also serve a philanthropic cause. Proceeds from the event will support training for first responders in post-crash care, including rescue techniques and trauma management, to improve emergency responses in accident-prone areas.
“The marathon is not just a run; it’s a stand against reckless driving and a chance to equip communities with life-saving skills. Anyone can be a victim even media personnel traveling unknowingly with an intoxicated driver.” he stated
Participants can register by purchasing a specially designed marathon kit at UGX 30,000, which includes a branded vest and cap. Byamukama noted the subsidized price was made possible through the generous contributions of corporate partners including National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Frost Transporters, Uganda Insurers Association, Wava Water Ltd, Spouts of Water, and Simba Automotives.
The Minister admitted that while some accidents are attributed to poor road conditions, a significant number occur even on well-maintained roads due to reckless driving, internal stress, and economic pressures.
“Not all accidents are caused by potholes. Just this morning, I witnessed a crash between a taxi and a Pajero in a corner with no potholes,” he shared.
Byamukama said,“No one deserves to die in a road crash. Let’s run together for road safety,” he urged.
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years, with close to 1000 young people dying every day on the world’s roads, according to the WHO most of these young people trek to school despite the unsafe road infrastructure, and a few opt for motorized or bicycle transportation but still do not use child restraint systems (CRS), helmets, or seatbelts.
According to the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018, road crashes claim 1.35 million people every year. The report places Road Traffic Injuries as the 8th leading cause of death for all ages and the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years. In Uganda, the case is worsening with the numbers going up every year. 21,473 crash victims were registered in 2022 indicating an increase of 19%compared from 2021.
On average 12 people die on the roads daily, which is the highest level in East Africa. The overall annual cost of road crashes is currently estimated at approximately UGX 4.4 trillion ($1.2 billion), representing 5% of Uganda’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and the situation calls for proactive measures to curb down the continued crashes. Therefore, as one of the measures to help create awareness, advocate and promote cohesion in the fight against this deadly predator, LRSI has taken the lead to organize a yearly run (marathon). The maiden run was launched in June 2022, dubbed Safe School Zone Marathon 2022.
The run adopts a yearly theme that is based on the different road risk factors such as wearing of helmets, seat belts, over speeding, drink driving, and vehicle conditions as well as issues around school children’s safety, and gender mainstreaming in road safety among others.