By KGR Reporter,
As the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) undertakes the redesign of numerous roads, converting some roundabouts into T-junctions, Esther Bayiga, a Research Associate at the Trauma, Injuries and Disability (TRIAD) Unit of Makerere University, cautions that such junctions are high-risk locations for pedestrian safety.
Bayiga presented her findings during her PhD defense, which focused on analyzing the patterns of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in relation to land use, transportation, and socio-economic factors in Kampala.
She emphasized the urgent need for government policies to mitigate pedestrian crashes, noting that her research identified the most significant black spots around business areas and junctions near markets along major roads.
In her study, Bayiga engaged in focused group discussions with 14 groups, including market vendors, Boda Boda riders, university students, traffic police officers, and taxi drivers, to assess road users’ perceptions and identify factors contributing to injuries and deaths. END.