COMMENT: More needs to be done to reduce road fatalities

WHILE it is commendable that the country recorded fewer accidents since the beginning of the festive season, more needs to be done to reduce accidents and loss of lives as the number is still high.

Road users need to be more vigilant as most recorded accidents have been attributed to human error.

Drivers must at all times adhere to the country’s traffic regulations to avoid accidents.

The festive season is associated with a lot of excitement but we urge members of the public to avoid driving under the influence of intoxicating substances and also drive within the prescribed speed limits.

Police on Wednesday revealed that 92 people died in road traffic accidents in 13 days while 464 others were injured countrywide since the start of the festive season.

The police attributed the accidents to human error saying 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.