Women banned from occupying front seats in vehicles

By Tracy Acen Oiko and David Ijjo,

LIRA:
Traders in Lira district in the Northern Uganda under their association, Lira Mobile Market Vendors have set a regulation restricting female passengers from riding up front in trucks over accident safety.

The ban handed down in Lira City also prohibits drivers from permitting their wives, noting that mini-skirts, tight trousers and bare thighs distract male drivers thus ending up causing accidents.

Patrick Opio Obote, the association chairman told reports that drivers are distracted by indecent women occupying the driver’s seat exposing them to accidents.

“Some women wear short dresses which expose their thighs and distract drivers, and the drivers end up causing accidents and people on board die,” he said

“The ban takes immediate effect and all drivers and passengers are complying,”
Oboto added that the ban was set after examining the cause of road accidents involving drivers in the area.

“We discovered that other than high speed and indiscipline of truck drivers, some women sit in front cabin while wearing short dresses, some take drivers to bars and drink alcohol and the drivers cause accidents, “he added

The restriction follows a fatal accident in Agali sub county on January 1o that claimed lives of 9 traders and 20 others seriously injured after a truck that was carrying them from a weekly market overturned and killed some traders.

Police banned reckless driving and high speed in the area after the crash.