Double Q, the authorised Sinotruk dealer in Uganda, on Friday launched a heavy-duty road safety and customer support campaign aimed at reducing accidents involving heavy trucks and improving standards among truck operators nationwide.
The campaign, themed “Safer Trucks | Safer Drivers | Safer Roads,” brings together the company, government agencies, drivers and other road users around a shared-responsibility approach to road safety. Key partners in the initiative include the Uganda Police and the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Presenting on road safety and the root causes of accidents, Double Q’s Head of Marketing, Mr. Ricard Musani, acknowledged recent accidents involving heavy trucks and extended condolences to families who have lost loved ones in such incidents.
Musani said road safety conversations should be grounded in facts and proper investigation rather than rushing to blame a vehicle brand whenever an accident occurs. He outlined several contributing factors behind heavy-truck accidents, including speeding and dangerous overtaking, trucks following each other too closely, driver fatigue, poor loading practices and overloading, inadequate vehicle maintenance, poor road conditions, and driver behaviour more broadly.
Double Q’s Sales Director, Mr. Jack Wang, outlined the company’s customer support commitments under the campaign, which include vehicle readiness checks, safety clinics, driver education and continued after-sales support.
Wang said the company views the purchase of a Sinotruk vehicle as the beginning of an ongoing relationship rather than a one-off transaction, with Double Q’s responsibility extending through maintenance, spare parts, warranties and customer support. He said the company’s objective is to ensure customers receive reliable trucks backed by good service and strong after-sales care.
Government was represented at the launch by Mr. Winston Katushabe, Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety and Chief Licensing Officer. Katushabe welcomed the campaign, stressing that road safety can only be achieved through cooperation between truck suppliers, drivers and regulators.
He indicated that government is willing to mobilise drivers to take part in the safety training programmes being offered by Double Q. Katushabe also reiterated that freight vehicles must comply with vehicle standards, axle-load limits and road-safety regulations, warning that enforcement action would be taken against any trucks found on the road without valid inspection from 16 October.
Stakeholders at the launch urged truck owners and drivers not to wait for road enforcement officers before ensuring their vehicles are compliant with safety requirements. Specific recommendations included:
- Ensuring drivers undergo proper training
- Maintaining trucks to required safety standards
- Ensuring vehicles meet inspection and regulatory requirements
- Proactively addressing compliance issues ahead of the 16 October enforcement deadline
Official Launch and Live Demonstration
The campaign was officially launched by Mr. Lin Yu, Managing Director of Double Q – Sinotruk, who reaffirmed the company’s commitment to safer roads through both vehicle quality and driver support.
The event concluded with a live vehicle inspection, underscoring the campaign’s practical focus on road-safety compliance and giving attendees a firsthand look at the readiness checks Double Q intends to roll out to truck operators across the country.
