Police has confirmed the death of one person knocked by a truck in Natete town on the outskirts of Kampala.

Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson ASP Luke Owoyesigyire identified the deceased as Agnes Arinaitwe, a resident of Kasenge village in Wakiso district who was moving on a Bodaboda cycle before being knocked on Thursday evening.

The accident involved motor vehicle KBR 943Y/ Z 3656 Actros, yellow in colour with a motorcycle yet to be known whose rider fled the scene moments after the accident happened.

Eyewitnesses said the rider swerved to the side of the truck as it was overtaking before the victim fell off the bike and landed between the tyres of the truck.

“The body of the deceased has been taken to Kampala Capital City Authority mortuary at Mulago for postmortem. But Investigations are still on-going to arrest the motorcyclist and impound the motorcycle,” said Owoyesigyire.

The truck driver Muhammad Gwanza, a Tanzanian national and resident of Mombasa City, Kenya recorded his statement at Natete police station. 

Last year 3,663 people were killed during road accidents. The statistics indicate that more motorcyclists died last year compared to previous years. For instance, in 2019 motorcyclists who died in accidents were 1,064, but in 2020 the number increased by more than 80 victims.

At least 1,258 pedestrians died in road accidents last year according to the Traffic Police records filed in the annual crime report 2020. If this incident had occurred somewhere in the United States (for example Des Moines), a personal injury law office in Des Moines IA could have been contacted by the ones involved in the accident for remedial measures. However, it is yet to be seen if something similar could be worked out here.

The Acting traffic director CP Lawrence Niwabiine said that the leading causes of traffic deaths and injuries include over speeding, drunk driving, distractions to drivers, and non-adherence to traffic rules.

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By: URN