Kampala — MOTORISTS who recklessly get involved in fatal accidents will be charged with murder under the Penal Code Act.

Briefing bus owners on measures taken to curb the disturbing road carnage in the country, Inspector General of Police Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura said special traffic courts had been revived in the country.

The courts will expediently handle traffic cases to avoid a backlog, with the overall view of reducing road accidents.

"Why is it that there are more accidents in the country than elsewhere in the region? We have put in place control measures, including charging reckless drivers with murder and manslaughter," he said.

Most Ugandan roads have become death traps. Several accidents are reported on a daily basis, which the Police attribute mainly to reckless motorist.

A total of 54,506 cases were handled by the Police in 2007, compared to 71,409 in 2006. A total of 7,092 accidents were reported in 2007 compared to 18,092 crashes in 2006, the Police said.

According to the 2007 Police crime report, 2,334 people died in accidents by close of 2007, compared to 2,171 people who died in 2006, an increase of 7.5%. Last year, 9,277 people were seriously injured compared to 9,393 persons in 2006, representing a 1.2% decrease.

The latest fatal crash claimed 31 lives last month, when a bus rammed into a trailer and a pick-up truck at Bulyantete, on the Kampala-Jinja highway.

In May 2006, another accident claimed 15 lives on the Kampala-Masaka highway, when a commuter taxi rammed into a trailer.

To enable the prosecution of reckless motorists, all serious accidents will be investigated by the criminal investigations department, with the support of the traffic department.

Kayihura said he had already communicated to the Chief Justice and the Commissioner of Prisons among other stakeholders in the legal system, to ensure that the arrangement is enforced with immediate effect.

In the meeting held on Monday at the Police headquarters boardroom, Kayihura said the Police had "started biting and whoever drives should take extra care. "I do not have answers to my superiors about the causes of accidents like that of Lugazi," he said.