Uganda to Start Digital Traffic Fines to Reduce Road Accidents
kakooza Peter
Monday, April 21, 2025
Uganda will soon start using a new digital system called EPSAuto (Automated Express Penalty System) to punish people who break traffic rules. The Ministry of Works and Transport says this system will officially begin working on April 23, 2025.
This new system is part of a larger project called the Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS). It is designed to help stop dangerous driving and improve road safety in the country.
Why This System Is Important
Road accidents in Uganda have been increasing fast. According to the 2024 Police Annual Crime Report, the country had 5,144 road deaths last year — this is 80.8% more than the 2,845 deaths reported in 2014. Most of the people who died were vulnerable road users, including:
Pedestrians: 1,666
Motorcyclists: 1,720
Passengers: 1,307
Cyclists: 138
Motorcycle crashes alone, including riders and their passengers, made up about 47% of all road deaths.
In addition to these deaths, 17,013 people were seriously injured in 2024 due to road crashes. The main causes were careless overtaking (5,657 cases) and over-speeding (5,505 cases) — which together caused nearly half of all accidents.
How EPSAuto Will Work
The new EPSAuto system will automatically catch and fine drivers who break common traffic rules — especially speeding and running red lights. It uses several smart tools, including:
Digital number plates that can be recognized by cameras
CCTV surveillance to catch speed and red-light violations
Central command centers to process real-time data
When a camera detects a violation, it will collect digital proof like:
The car’s number plate
Time and location of the offence
A photo or video of the incident
This information is then checked by a police officer and stored in the national ITMS system. The system will send an electronic fine (called an E-fine) to the vehicle owner by SMS or email.
The message will include:
What the offence was
How much the fine is
When the fine must be paid
Where and how to pay (via MTN, Airtel, banks, online, or point-of-sale machines)
If the fine is not paid, the driver could face serious actions such as:
Vehicle impounded
Being taken to court
Not allowed to register their vehicle
Accumulating unpaid fines
What the Government Says
Officials said they have already started meeting with different groups — such as boda-boda riders, truck drivers, and commercial transport operators — to explain how the system works and prepare for its launch.
The government also updated the old Traffic and Road Safety (Speed Limits) Regulations from 2004 to support this digital shift.
A Ministry official explained, “Technology in traffic control is no longer a choice. It is necessary to protect lives and make every road user responsible.”
The government believes that EPSAuto will help change driver behavior, make roads safer, and save thousands of lives in the coming years.
