Sundaymail Editor
Sunday Mail Reporter
MORE than 2 000 people are killed in road traffic accidents annually, with negligent driving accounting for most of the fatalities, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has said.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the unveiling of the new plastic polymer driver’s licence disks on Wednesday last week, Minister Mhona said speeding was among the leading causes of road carnage.
“Along Mutare Road, we lost 10 learners recently,” he said.
“The rate at which we are losing people due to negligence is alarming; over 2 000 lives are lost against a total population of about 16 million people.
“It is not only about bad roads and potholes that are causing accidents, but motorists need a mindset and culture shift to stop speeding on the roads.
“We also had a road accident on Masvingo Road, where motorists are misusing the good road and travelling at speeds of 200 kilometres per hour, resulting in accidents.”
The Government, Minister Mhona said, was committed to improving road safety through development of road infrastructure and adoption of regional and internationally recognised road signage along Zimbabwe’s roads.
“Government is implementing robust legal policy and administrative systems to improve the country’s road safety performance as it seeks to achieve the target set in the National Development Strategy 1,” he said.
Soon, all public service vehicles will be fitted with speed-limiting devices to curtail road accidents.
Online Reporter