adminCrime Reporter
THREE people died and seven others were injured when two commuter omnibuses they were travelling in were involved in an accident in separate incidents. The accidents occurred on Monday and Thursday.National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said two people died on the spot when a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus was involved in a head-on collision with a Nissan Hardbody truck along the Gweru-Bulawayo Road on Monday night.
The bus had 15 passengers on board and heading towards Bulawayo when the accident occurred.
“The Nissan Hardbody tried to overtake another vehicle and this resulted in a head-on collision with the bus.
“Two people, the driver of the truck and a passenger in the bus died on the spot,” he said.
One more person died while seven others were injured when a Nissan Civilian bus they were travelling in veered off the road and landed in a ditch along the Bulawayo-Lupane Road.
The bus was heading towards Bulawayo from Lupane and it had 11 passengers on board. Three passengers escaped unhurt.
Chief Supt Nyathi urged the people to observe traffic regulations and to avoid speeding.
The Vehicle Inspection Department and the Central Vehicle Registry would soon be commercialised to make them effective and avoid corruption that has led to defective public transport vehicles being allowed on the roads, causing numerous accidents.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Obert Mpofu recently said short-term strict measures that would result in some public transport operators pulling off the road during this festive season were being crafted.
He said the country could no longer afford witnessing the high number of accidents that has characterised previous festive seasons and the situation would be different this time around.
Road traffic accidents claimed 180 lives during the festive last year, while 901 others were injured in 1 128 accidents that occurred countrywide.
In 2011, 88 people died during the same period and 754 others were injured in 1 058 accidents, while 83 people died and 978 others were injured in 994 accidents in 2010.
Online Reporter