STASSU policy brief

Safe School Zones:
Uganda’s Policy Win

STASSU: a key civil society partner

Uganda’s national child road safety policy puts safer journeys to school at the centre of transport action. This is the story of the problem, the policy response and the role of civil society.

The urgency

Children deserve a safe route to school

Road crashes continue to take lives every day. The figures below show why safer school zones, better enforcement and child-centred planning cannot wait.

15+road deaths reported each day
5,385road fatalities recorded in 2025
1,554child and youth deaths recorded

Source: Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025

The challenge

Why children are especially at risk

School journeys often place children close to fast-moving traffic without the protection that safe street design should provide.

School zones on major roads

Many schools sit along busy highways and urban corridors where children cross and walk beside traffic.

Speeding vehicles

Higher speeds leave drivers less time to react and make collisions far more severe.

Gaps in pedestrian infrastructure

Missing crossings, walkways and traffic-calming measures increase danger for children on foot.

Weak enforcement

Rules only protect communities when speed limits and road-safety standards are consistently enforced.

The policy response

Moving from concern to action

The national policy framework brings school-zone safety into a wider road-safety response, linking safer design, responsible speeds and stronger implementation.

  • National guidelines for school-zone safety
  • Traffic and Road Safety Act
  • Speed-limit regulations
  • Non-motorised transport planning
  • Child-centred road-safety action
STASSU’s contribution

Turning policy into safer everyday journeys

STASSU helps keep the lived experience of children, pedestrians and crash survivors visible in the road-safety conversation. Through advocacy, public awareness, research and partnerships, we support practical action that communities can see and use.

Work with STASSU

Safer school zones save lives.

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