Road Accident Survivors ask Government to Fast-Track Return of Automated Express Penalty Scheme:

The Amputee Self Help Network Uganda (ASNU), an organisation that advocates for road crash survivors, has called on government to urgently reinstate the Automated Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) in a bid to curb reckless driving and reduce road accidents.

 

The government recently extended the suspension of the controversial EPS and related speed limit regulations, which were first halted in June 2025 following public outcry over high fines, technical inaccuracies, and inadequate public sensitisation.

 

However, ASNU co-founder Charlotte Kangume says the Ministry of Works and Transport must act swiftly, especially as children return to school a period she describes as high-risk for road accidents.

 

Speaking to the media at Hotel Africana in Kampala, Kangume emphasised that the EPS should not be viewed as punishment, but rather as a safety measure designed to protect pedestrians, schoolchildren, and all road users.

 

“When the system was in place, people were moving at the correct speed limit — not because a police officer was hiding around the corner, but because they knew there was a system holding them accountable for their actions on the road,” she said.

 

Kangume revealed that government had informed ASNU that the EPS regulations have since been reviewed and made less harsh. She noted that during the period the system was operational, compliance with traffic rules significantly improved.

 

“The systems have been worked on, and the regulations are no longer as strict as before. These measures are meant to protect us. We noticed that when the system was active, almost everyone followed the rules,” she added.

 

She further called for the scheme to be rolled out nationwide.

 

Kangume highlighted the devastating impact of road crashes on children, noting that many school-going pupils have lost their lives or suffered amputations due to reckless driving.

 

“There is no one safeguarding their safety on the roads, even as pedestrians. We live in a reckless and selfish society where people do not consider how their actions affect others. Every day, Uganda loses many school-going children to road traffic accidents. So many have died, and so many have lost their limbs,” she said.