Blitz on holiday traffic offenders

The Herald, 8 August, 2024

A LARGE number of police, supported by reservists, are to be deployed on the roads to cut traffic accidents over Heroes’ Days, the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Richard Hove, said yesterday.

In an effort to cut back on the high Easter road toll, roadblocks would be set up along all major roads to check on overloading, speeding, and reckless driving, he said in an interview.

Driving standards have deteriorated “very badly”. There were too many accidents and a large number of cars were not roadworthy. We cannot allow the road carnage to be repeated as we saw on the last holiday,” he said. “Police are going to be on the lookout for unlicensed drivers and all drivers are requested to carry their licenses with them.”

Police had been instructed to check for drunken driving and culprits would be driven to the nearest police station and detained overnight, pending possible charges. They would also be checking on the roadworthiness of vehicles, particularly with regard to brakes, steering, tyres, windscreen wipers, lights, reflectors and indicators.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Next week the country commemorates National Heroes’ Day and Defence Forces Day. As usual, Police are conducting blitzes on holiday traffic offenders primarily to enhance road safety and maintain law and order due to increased travel.

There will be a surge in the number of vehicles on the roads as people travel to and fro for the commemorations, family gatherings, and vacations. The increase in traffic can lead to higher instances of accidents and violations of traffic laws.

Historical data indicates that road accidents tend to rise during holiday seasons. For instance, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reported a notable increase in road accidents – some fatal – this year compared to previous years. By conducting blitzes, authorities aim to mitigate this trend by enforcing traffic regulations more strictly.

The blitzes specifically focus on errant drivers who engage in reckless behaviour such as speeding, driving under the influence, or operating unroadworthy vehicles.