Uganda’s Makerere University has developed an image processing software to distinguish traffic signs, in order to prevent accidents occurring due to failure to read and follow such signs.

The technology automatically detects traffic signs in an image, at a distance of about 100m, using a colour filter that identifies signs based on their colour and shape.

The software can distinguish all types of traffic signs such as pedestrian crossing, bicycles, stop, railway, humps and others, according to a university researcher.

The technology is aimed at reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities in the country, which reports nearly 17,000 accidents including 2,000 deaths every year.