92 die in festive season road bloodbath

Ninety-two people died in road traffic accidents in 13 days while 464 others were injured countrywide since the start of the festive season with police attributing the accidents to human error.

Police yesterday said they recorded 1 195 festive season accidents from December 15 to December 27. Of the recorded accidents, 61 were fatal leading to the death of 92 people and 464 sustaining injuries.

Police statistics show that an average of seven lives were being lost daily due to road carnage. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said this year the country recorded fewer accidents compared to the same period last year. Last year, 1 480 accidents were recorded with 71 of them being fatal leading to the death of 102 people while 289 got injured. Asst Comm Nyathi said while fewer deaths were recorded this festive season, more people died on Unity Day compared to the same period last year.

“On Unity Day, 22 December 2023, 125 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which five were fatal with five people being killed while 24 others were injured compared to 124 road traffic accidents with two fatal, two deaths, and 18 people injured in the year 2022,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

“On Christmas Day, 71 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which seven were fatal, killing eight people and injuring 78 people.

In the same period in 2022, 133 road traffic accidents were recorded with 12 fatal, 20 deaths and 48 people injured. Asst Comm Nyathi said on Boxing Day this year, nine people died while 36 others were injured following 82 road traffic accidents, nine of them fatal.

He said this year accidents were significantly lower than last year where 99 road traffic accidents were recorded leading to the death of eight people and injury of eight others in eight fatal accidents.

Asst Comm Nyathi said recklessness on the road remains a challenge as far as accidents are concerned.

“Most of the road traffic accidents occurred on highways as a result of speeding, inattention, overtaking errors, overloading, misjudgement, following too close and recklessness on the part of drivers,” said Asst Comm Nyathi. He said yesterday an additional five people died while 40 were injured following a road accident that occurred in Marondera near Diggleford Primary School turn-off at the 64km peg along Harare-Mutare Highway after a bus crashed with a haulage truck and a Mercedes Benz.

“Five people died on the spot, with some being trapped, when a Blue Horizon bus which was travelling towards Marondera, had a collision with a haulage truck and a Mercedes Benz which were travelling in the opposite direction. 40 passengers were injured, 15 of them seriously, due to the accident. They are currently receiving medical attention at Marondera Provincial Hospital. More details will be released in due course,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He urged drivers to be cautious and promote road safety on the roads while partaking in festivities.