17 perish in road crashes

Crime Reporter

SEVENTEEN people died in three separate road accidents recorded countrywide over the weekend. Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba (pictured) said most of the accidents were a result of human error.“Over the last three days – 21, 22 and 23 October 2016 – we have lost 17 lives in three separate road traffic accidents due to mainly human error on our country’s highways.

“This is a major concern not to the Zimbabwe Republic Police only, but to the country as a whole. Innocent people are perishing in circumstances that can be avoided,” she said.

She said last Friday in Guruve at around 8.15pm, a 65-year-old man was driving a Mitsubishi Canter along Mvurwi-Kanyemba Road with 16 church members on board. The man encroached into the opposite lane resulting in a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle.

Six people from the Mitsubishi Canter died on the spot, while the seventh died on admission to Guruve Hospital. Snr Asst Comm Charamba said 11 people were injured and taken to Guruve Hospital for treatment.

“On 22 October, 2016 at around 2030 hours, another accident occurred at the 167km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road (near Ngwena Shopping Centre, Kadoma) where six people were killed after the driver of a Honda Fit overtook in front of an oncoming vehicle resulting in a head-on collision with another vehicle,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said another four people died on Saturday at around 9.30am at the 143km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road, near Total Service Station in Kadoma when a Toyota Wish encroached into the opposite lane resulting in a head-on collision with a Nissan March.

“Eight others were injured and rushed to Eiffel Flats and Kadoma General hospitals for treatment. In all the accidents, it was pure human error, ‘encroaching into the lane of oncoming vehicles’. This has become common to see drivers encroaching on our roads without thinking of the consequences and checking for safety,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged motorists to exercise caution when travelling on the roads, especially at night. She said drivers must check the conditions of their vehicle tyres constantly and that roads are clear before overtaking.