Katushabe Proposes Automated System to Track Drivers’ Hours, Rest and Speed

Katushabe (R) attending the Parliamentary committee session on Monday

KAMPALA: The Ministry of Works and Transport has proposed an automated monitoring system to track public service vehicle drivers’ journeys, working hours, rest periods and speed as Uganda struggles to contain a rise in deadly road crashes.

The proposal was presented on Monday during a meeting with Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure on the alarming number of fatal crashes recorded in July.

Winston Katushabe, the Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety, said drivers would be required to clock in at designated points along their routes, enabling authorities to monitor how long they have been driving and whether they have taken adequate rest.

“We want to monitor the drivers’ journey, their driving hours, rest periods and speeding,” Katushabe said.

“Drivers will be required to clock in at designated points along their routes.”

He said the system would help authorities address fatigue, speeding and reckless driving, particularly among bus and taxi drivers operating long-distance routes.

The parliamentary meeting examined the causes of recent fatal accidents, enforcement of transport regulations, road conditions, driver accreditation and measures being taken to improve safety.

Uganda records more than 25,000 road crashes annually, resulting in about 25,800 casualties and between 5,000 and 6,000 deaths, equivalent to roughly 14 people dying on the roads every day.

Police recorded 26,044 crashes in 2025, up from 25,107 in 2024.

Fatal crashes rose to 4,602, with the death toll exceeding 5,300.

More than half of those killed, 56.2%, were below the age of 35, while men accounted for 83% of fatalities.

Police attribute more than 40% of crashes to reckless driving, including speeding, dangerous overtaking and tailgating.

The proposed driver monitoring system is expected to complement the Electronic Penalty System and other technology-based enforcement measures intended to reduce reliance on roadside checks.

The ministry did not disclose when the system would be introduced or how much its rollout would cost.