URRENO Launches Passenger Helmet Use Assessment Report
The Uganda Road Accident Reduction Network Organisation (URRENO) Launches launched an assessment report examining the disparity in helmet use between boda-boda riders and passengers in Nakawa Division.
The assessment was conducted under the “Bridging the Gap in Passenger Helmet Use in Nakawa” project, supported by Youth for Road Safety (YOURS) and Global Youth for Road Safety. It sought to understand the underlying factors contributing to low helmet use among passengers and identify practical solutions to improve safety.
The launch was officiated by Mr Apollo Kashanku, Assistant Commissioner for Road Transport and Safety, who served as Chief Guest. He emphasised the importance of stronger measures to improve compliance with helmet requirements and protect motorcycle users.
A key highlight was a multi-stakeholder panel discussion featuring the Ministry of Works and Transport, KCCA, Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Faras. The panel explored passenger helmet use from different perspectives including policy, education and research, behavioural change, and the role of service providers, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach to closing the helmet-use gap.
The event also showcased an exciting youth-led innovation from the Boda-Boda Innovation Challenge: a proposed motorcycle helmet-warning system inspired by the seatbelt beep in vehicles, which could alert riders when a helmet is not properly fastened.
Representatives from Faras, SafeBoda, KCCA, CSOs and other road safety stakeholders joined the conversation, creating a platform for sharing experiences and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
The launch reinforced a simple but important message: helmet safety must extend beyond the rider. Every passenger deserves protection. Through research, innovation, advocacy and collaboration, URRENO continues to champion safer motorcycle journeys for all.
