THE government is finalising revisions to the country’s traffic safety laws, to improve outdated regulations and heighten road safety.

Daniel Sillo, the Home Affairs deputy minister, set out this objective here yesterday at the 10th anniversary of inaugurating the national road safety ambassadors, where he pointed at the need for regulatory revisions to enhance law effectiveness.

This is vital in the effort to reduce road accidents, he pointed at road safety education as a crucial tool in minimising accidents, often attributed to human error.

He praised road safety ambassadors, who assist police in educating the public on safe road practices, while clarifying that they do not replace traffic officers.

The ambassadors promote awareness of essential safety measures, such as wearing seatbelts, obeying road signs, and avoiding speeding.

He praised the ambassadors for their dedication, urging them to stick to promoting safer road behaviour, while stakeholders also need to keep their commitment and support for road safety initiatives.

Acknowledging the commemoration’s theme focusing on involving women in road safety initiatives, he stated that women and children are often the most vulnerable in road accidents.

There is need for an expanded educational outreach to address this issue, he said, applauding the locally based Asas Company which received recognition for its initiative to provide health insurance for 50 underprivileged families.

This had showcased how the private sector can partner with the government to tackle social challenges, including healthcare and road safety, he said, with ACP Michael Deleli, head of road safety education at the Traffic Police Department, stressed the role of the police in community education through officers stationed at the ward level.

He said road safety issues are tied to human error in the main, along with faulty vehicles for a quarter of all accidents, while poor infrastructure is an occasional explanation.

While calling for increased education to address these challenges, his colleague Augustus Fungo, executive director of the road safety ambassadors board, urged the government to revise outdated traffic laws.

Current penalties such as fines as low as 1,000/- are ineffective in deterring violations, he said, a stance that wasn’t echoed by other stakeholders vividly.

Salim Abri Asas, the regional road safety committee chairman and member of its National Executive Council (NEC), reaffirmed the company’s commitment to societal initiatives.

These include road safety and healthcare since building a safe and healthy community is a priority, he stated, with beneficiaries of the health insurance provided by Asas expressing gratitude for the gesture of support.

SACP Allan Bukumbi, the regional police commander, commended Asas and NEC member Salim Abri for contributions to security and road safety in the region.

District Commissioner Kheri James, standing in for the regional commissioner, reaffirmed collaboration with the police force to further reduce road accidents in the area.