KAMPALA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and 12 others seriously injured on Sunday in a road accident Uganda's central district of Nakasongola.

The collision involving three vehicles occurred in Nakitoma, along the Kampala-Gulu Highway, Paul Kangave, Savannah regional police spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone.

"The driver of the semi-trailer truck was trying to overtake a milk tanker. He failed to negotiate and collided with a commuter taxi coming from the opposite direction. The semi-trailer truck from behind failed to break and rammed into the two vehicles," Kangave said.

"The drivers and four passengers from the commuter taxi died on the spot. At least 12 people were injured and one person is missing," he said. "We believe the cause of the accident was reckless driving."

The accident came barely hours after eight people were killed and four critically injured in two separate road accidents in central and northwestern Uganda on Saturday.

On Sunday morning, at least three other people were killed and 12 rescued after a truck plunged into River Nile in the country's northwestern district of Pakwach.

Uganda registers at least 20,000 accidents a year, with over 2,000 deaths, making it one of the countries with the highest road traffic death rates, according to police statistics.