Errant drivers who decline to pay penalties as set by the traffic police department have their days numbered after Police launched an electronic Express Penalty System-EPS this morning.
According to Dr. Steven Kasiima, the Director of Traffic Uganda Police Force, the EPS is meant to help reduce the number of drivers dodging the payment of penalties.
The traffic director adds that some drivers have unpaid penalties worth Shillings 5M, which will no longer be the case as the automated system tracks vehicle location.
The system launched at the police headquarters in Naguru this morning has functions, which include identifying the offender, tracking vehicles with pending penalties, reading vehicle number plates and driving permit details and outstanding penalties as well as a payment system.
So far, more than 1400 traffic officers have been trained to EPS system and their details incorporated, says Kasiima.
Now, traffic officers shall be going for duty with a gadget that would be used to read the offence of the driver and the pending penalties.
Only 50 percent of traffic offenders according to Kasiima, have been paying but the EPS will rectify the situation.
“Vehicles without insurance will be fined Shillings 40,000, obscured number plates will pay Shillings 40,000, driving without a valid permit Shillings 100, 000, permitting a person not enrolled in driving school Shillings 100,000 and Shillings 200,000 for using good’s vehicle in a manner that is dangerous to others” he added.
Last year alone, Police earned Shillings 8b from penalties and most of the cases were of driving carelessly and vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition.
