At least 14 people have been confirmed dead and 28 others injured following a devastating road crash involving a passenger bus and a trailer along the Kampala-Gulu Highway in Omoro District.
The accident happened at around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Kulu Otit Village in Bobi Sub-county when an Opit Travellers bus travelling towards Gulu collided head-on with a trailer heading to Kampala.
Police said both the bus driver and the trailer driver were among those killed instantly in the crash. The injured passengers were rushed to several health facilities in Gulu City, including Lacor Hospital, Gulu Independent Hospital, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and other nearby medical centres, where they are receiving treatment.
Aswa West Regional Police spokesperson, David Ongom Mudong, said authorities were still working to identify the deceased before informing their next of kin.
“We have confirmed that 14 people lost their lives in the accident, while 28 others sustained injuries. Efforts are underway to establish the identities of the deceased, and more details will be released once the verification process is complete,” Ongom said.
He explained that the victims had been taken to different health facilities for treatment, while the bodies of those who died were transported for postmortem examinations.
Preliminary investigations by police indicate that excessive speeding by the bus driver may have caused the collision.
According to Ongom, initial findings suggest the bus was travelling at high speed before the crash occurred. He noted that investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident and will release a comprehensive report after completing their inquiries.
Police have once again blamed the increasing number of fatal road crashes on human error, particularly speeding, reckless overtaking and failure by drivers to observe traffic regulations.
Ongom urged motorists to exercise greater caution while using the country’s highways, noting that although traffic officers regularly carry out road safety enforcement and sensitisation campaigns, some drivers resume dangerous driving shortly after passing police checkpoints.
He also appealed to passengers to take an active role in promoting road safety by speaking out whenever they observe reckless driving, saying timely intervention could help prevent avoidable tragedies.
However, eyewitnesses gave a different account of the incident, claiming the bus driver lost control while attempting to avoid a pedestrian believed to have been intoxicated. The bus reportedly swerved into the path of the oncoming trailer, resulting in the deadly head-on collision.
The latest tragedy adds to the growing number of fatal accidents recorded along the Kampala-Gulu Highway, a route that has repeatedly witnessed deadly crashes attributed to speeding, dangerous overtaking and other forms of reckless driving.
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