adminCrime Reporter
The death toll from road traffic accidents during the festive season has risen to 69 following the death of five other people between Thursday afternoon and yesterday morning. At least 345 people have been injured in 738 road traffic accidents recorded since the start of the festive season on December 15.
During the same period last year, 132 people were killed and 599 others injured in 842 accidents.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said this year’s major accident causes were speeding, overtaking errors, inattention, misjudgment, failing to give way and following too closely to other vehicles.
He said police impounded 1 052 vehicles for various defects and issued 73 511 tickets to motorists for various traffic offences.
“Masvingo still has the highest number of deaths so far with 15, followed by Manicaland with 10 and Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central with eight deaths each,” Chief Supt Nyathi said.
He said Harare, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South recorded six deaths each, while Matabeleland North had five.
Four deaths were recorded in the Midlands, while Bulawayo had one.
The Christmas and New Year holidays are usually associated with a high number of road accidents due to the large volumes of vehicular traffic on the roads as people travel to various destinations for the festive season.
Chief Supt Nyathi urged public service vehicle drivers to stick to terms of the road service permits and route authority.
Last year, more than 200 people died and close to 1 000 were injured in road traffic accidents during the festive season, which runs from December 15 to January 15.
Online Reporter