Zimbabwe Records Road Accident Every 15 Minutes - Traffic Safety Council
A road accident occurs in Zimbabwe every 15 minutes, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has said.
Most of the accidents are attributed to reckless driving, inadequate enforcement of traffic laws and use of defective vehicles, among other factors.
TSCZ said 14 600 people died and 74 000 were injured in road accidents between 2015 and 2022.
In the first nine months of this year, over 1 500 people were killed, and more than 7 200 injured from more than 38 400 accidents countrywide.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, TSCZ managing director, Munesu Munodawafa, said that most road accidents are recorded during major public holidays. Said Munodawafa:
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It is disturbing that, as of September 30 this year, we had recorded 38 482 road accidents, a total of 1 545 deaths and 7 294 injuries on our roads.
These numbers are worrisome. Putting that into context, we have a road accident every 15 minutes in Zimbabwe and about five people die while 38 are injured in road accidents every day.
The highest number of accidents are recorded during major public holidays and days around major public holidays.
Most of the accidents, particularly those involving light motor vehicles, tend to happen during the early hours of Saturday, around midnight or just before sunrise on Sunday.
He said there is a need to change TSCZ to a Traffic Safety Agency and give it authority to enforce arrests of those who violate traffic rules. Said Munodawafa:
The board insists on changing the Traffic Safety Council (of Zimbabwe) to a Traffic Safety Agency — the agency that will be able to enforce arrests of those who infringe road regulations, just like how the Environmental Management Agency operates.
There is also a need to put speed limits on buses because the problem with these vehicles is that they sometimes travel at speeds that are as high as 140 kilometres per hour, and most of them will be transporting more than 60 passengers.
We are working with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the media and various stakeholders to raise awareness.
Munodawafa said the Government also needs to operationalise the Road Accident Fund.
More: Pindula News
