KCCA EQUIPS JOURNALISTS TO TELL IMPACTFUL ROAD SAFETY STORIES

Every road crash statistic represents a life changed, a family grieving, or a future cut short. That was the central message delivered to journalists during a road safety training organized by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The training held at City Hall on Thursday, brought together reporters from different media houses in Kampala to deepen their understanding of road safety challenges and equip them with the knowledge needed to tell stories that go beyond numbers and highlight the human cost of unsafe roads.

According to the Kampala Annual Road Safety Report 2024, at least 404 people died in road crashes in the city in 2024, while nationwide figures from the Uganda Police Annual Crime and Traffic Report indicate that 4,434 people lost their lives and 13,340 others were injured in road crashes last year.

“These numbers represent real people, parents, children, and workers, whose lives were lost or permanently changed,” said Jemima Nalumansi, the Bloomberg Road Safety Project Coordinator at KCCA. “As journalists, you have the power to tell these stories and help communities understand that road crashes are preventable.”

Participants were encouraged to highlight everyday realities on Kampala’s roads from children crossing busy streets on their way to school, to pedestrians navigating traffic without safe crossings, and cyclists sharing roads with speeding vehicles.

One of the major concerns raised during the training was speeding, particularly near school zones, busy areas where vulnerable road users are most at risk.

Road safety experts explained that even small increases in speed can dramatically increase the chances of death when a pedestrian is hit.

Data shared during the training showed that when a vehicle is traveling at 30 kilometers per hour, the likelihood of a pedestrian dying in a crash is about 10 percent. That risk rises to 30 percent at 40 km/h, and jumps to 85 percent at 50 km/h.

“Speed determines whether someone lives or dies,” said Emmerentian Mbabazi from the World Resources Institute. “Higher speeds mean longer stopping distances and much greater impact when a crash occurs.”

She emphasized the Safe System Approach, which focuses on designing roads and transport systems that reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury even when human error happens.

“The road system should be designed so that when human error happens, it does not result in serious or fatal outcomes,” Mbabazi said.

Respecting speed limits, was highlighted as one of the most effective ways of protecting vulnerable road users such as children, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Maria Nkalubo from the Health Advocacy Incubator emphasized the importance of simple safety measures that can save lives.

She noted that seat belts reduce the risk of death among vehicle occupants by about 50 percent, helmets reduce the risk by about 70 percent, and child restraint systems reduce the risk by about 74 percent.

Leah Kahunde, Communications Officer for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative, said the media will play a key role in helping Kampala achieve the targets of the Kampala Capital City Road Safety Strategy (2021–2030).

The strategy aims to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50 percent by 2030, partly through enforcing safer speed limits, improving road infrastructure, and promoting sustainable transport options that protect pedestrians and cyclists.

Kahunde said road safety stories should not only report crashes but also highlight solutions and encourage safer behavior.

“This is about telling stories that make people think twice before speeding, ignoring a crosswalk, or driving recklessly,” Nalumansi said.

For many participants, the training was also a reminder that road safety reporting can influence behavior and save lives.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer