KAMPALA. Four female students of St Peters SS Naalya were injured on Sunday after a vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a fuel tanker along the Kampala–Gulu Highway in Nakasongola District.
The crash occurred at about 9:30am in Kakindu Village, Wabinyonyi Sub-county. It involved a white Fuso Super Great fuel tanker registration number UBQ 935Y, a white Rosa Coaster registration number UBQ 073H and a Toyota Hiace ambulance registration number UBK 257F.
According to Mr Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Region police spokesperson, preliminary investigations indicate that the crash happened when the driver of the Coaster attempted to overtake a trailer and drifted into the opposite lane.
“It is alleged that the driver of motor vehicle registration number UBQ 073H, which was coming from the Gulu direction, attempted to overtake a trailer and collided head-on with motor vehicle registration number UBQ 935Y, which was travelling from Kampala towards Gulu,” he said.
The ambulance, which was travelling behind the taxi, was also caught up in the crash.
Police said four female students from St. Peter’s SS Naalya identified as Ms Christabella Awori, Ms Claudia Namukisa, Ms Margret Atwine and Ms Prudence Tumugabirwe sustained injuries in the crash and were rushed to Kampala for medical treatment.
The taxi and ambulance had been towed to Katuugo Police Station yard for inspection, while the fuel tanker remained at the scene by press time as arrangements were being made to offload the fuel before it could be towed.
“All the vehicles involved are pending mechanical inspection as investigations into the crash continue,” Mr Twiineamazima said.
Police have attributed the preliminary cause of the accident to careless overtaking and urged motorists to exercise caution while driving on busy highways.
“Motorists are advised to be careful, especially during overtaking, and to observe speed limits and road signs,” Twiineamazima said.
On Saturday, some aggrieved residents of Luweero district temporarily blocked a section of Gulu-Kampala highway in protest of increasing road crashes and demanded government install humps along a section of the highway.