On several occasions, drivers and motorcyclists have accused police of being selective while issuing Express Penalty tickets for violated traffic rules and regulations. For instance, Aramathan Musoke, a Boda-boda rider says he was arrested for riding past curfew time with his two other colleagues.
But Musoke says he was shocked when he was given an EPS ticket worth 100,000 shillings yet his two colleagues were given tickets of 40,000 shillings.
“Police is selective when giving these tickets, you can’t arrest us for riding in curfew hours but you give us different tickets, that is unacceptable,” Musoke said.
In response to arguments like Musoke’s, Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP Faridah Nampiima, who is also the traffic police spokesperson, says people should know that they don’t fine people for riding during curfew hours. But they issue tickets depending on the traffic offences committed by the rider or driver.
“We don’t have tickets for violating curfew time,” ASP Nampiima said. “That provision was given to the national Covid-19 task force to come up with penalties but they did not. So when we arrest or impound your car or motorcycle, we look at the traffic offence and we issue a ticket accordingly.”
Nampiima breaks down the fines in terms of money attached to each traffic offence which she insists must be known by all riders and drivers. Below are the traffic offences and money penalties attached to them.
Offences that attract 40,000 shillings’ penalty include using or permitting use on the road a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant without any insurance for the use, using or permitting use on the road a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant whose registration plate or license is obscured or indistinguishable, failing to stop at a railway level crossing, riding a motorcycle without a valid driving permit and riding a motorcycle without wearing a crash helmet on the head.
Traffic offences such as driving without a valid driving permit, permitting driving without a valid driving permit, permitting a person not enrolled as a student in a driving school to drive a motorcycle, motor car, dual purpose vehicle or trailer, using a motor vehicle for carriage of passengers or goods for hire or reward when it is not licensed to do so all attract a fine of 100,000 shillings each.
Other traffic offences that attract a fine of 100,000 shillings include carrying more than one person in addition to the driver, on a motorcycle, carrying a person on a seat not securely fixed to a motorcycle, failing to give right of way to authorised emergency vehicles, carrying a passengers on a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant in such number or in such position as to be likely to interfere with safe driving, using a hand held mobile phone telephone while driving a motor vehicle, using a motor vehicle without reflectors and or warning signs, in respect of a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant, obstructing a road or waiting, or being left packed or being loaded or unloaded in a road.
The 200,000 shillings’ traffic penalty is for offences like using goods vehicle on a road in a manner which makes it a danger to other road users, using a vehicle operator’s license in breach of the license issued, driving a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant on a road under the influence of alcohol, driving excess of the prescribed speed, driving a public service vehicle without a valid drivers’ badge and certificate of compliance, using a motor vehicle for instructing learner without a valid certificate.
Other traffic offences such as using a motor vehicle which is not in good condition on the road, a driver in a vehicle not wearing a safety belt and passengers in a vehicle not wearing a safety belt attract 60,000, 80,000 and 20,000 shillings respectively.
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Educative article.