KOLE. At least four people have been confirmed dead and eight others injured after getting involved in motor crash along the Lira–Kamdini Highway in Kole District.
The 8:30AM crash on Tuesday at Corner Park involved a Fuso truck registration number UBP 253M, loaded with beans, and a Datsun pickup registration number UAG 766L, loaded with rice and passengers.
According to North Kyoga Police region spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema, preliminary police findings indicate that the Fuso, which was heading towards Lira city from Kamdini, attempted to overtake the Datsun pickup.
However, another vehicle was approaching from the opposite direction, forcing the Fuso driver to swerve abruptly to avoid a head-on collision and in the process, the Fuso knocked the pickup from behind and overturned onto it, killing four people instantly and injuring eight others.
He added that three of the deceased are male adults and one is a female adult, all yet to be identified.
The injured victims, whose identities are also still unknown, were rushed to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for emergency treatment.
Police from Kole district, led by the Officer-in-Charge of Traffic and other specialised units, visited the scene and towed both vehicles to Kole Police Station for inspection by the Inspector of Vehicles (IOV).
The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Lira Referral Hospital mortuary pending postmortem.
Describing the incident as very unfortunate, Okema urged motorists to exercise caution on the road.
In February this year, the Police traffic and road safety directorate released its 2024 road crash statistics, showing that more Ugandans are perishing in traffic crashes daily.
The report showed 5,144 Ugandans died in traffic accidents in 2024, translating to 14 daily deaths. This was an increase compared to 4,806 people who perished in road crashes in 2023, and this translated to 13 road deaths every day.
Police reports indicate that road deaths have continuously been on the rise. For instance, 4,534 died in 2022 traffic accidents, which meant 12 people per day. The deaths rose to 4,806 in 2023, translating to 13 deaths per day and now 5,144, meaning 14 deaths each day.