Chronicle Editor
Research by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe in 2018 established that about 94 percent of road accidents in the country are caused by human error.
Vehicle defects and road environment caused five percent and one percent respectively. Human error includes speeding, overtaking error, not giving way, following too close, reversing error, negligent pedestrian/cyclists and fatigue. We think that under human error, speeding is the biggest cause of road crashes in the country.
Something had to be done to stamp out speeding on the country’s roads so they can be safer. We had speed traps but we don’t think they have been really effective. In fact, we are unsure if the machines are still on the road. As a result, speeding has gotten entrenched in the country resulting in many crashes which have killed, maimed and caused financial losses.
This has been a challenge with regards to public service vehicles which move dozens of people at once or those that move huge cargoes.
To address this challenge, the Government has ordered owners of public service vehicles to fit speed limiting and monitoring devices on their vehicles. This includes buses, commuter omnibuses, taxis, delivery trucks. It prescribed 100km per hour as the maximum speed limit.
According to Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023 of the Road Traffic Act (Speed Limiting and Monitoring Devices) Regulations, 2023 published on Friday, any person who contravenes or fails to comply with that law commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding level five, or to a period of imprisonment not exceeding six months or both to such fine and imprisonment.
Drivers of the vehicles are also compelled to keep all data and records relating to speed monitoring safe for a period of not less than six months for inspection by an inspecting officer.
This is an important intervention that should promote safer road use by public service vehicles. It will preserve the lives and the health of all road users including drivers of the public service vehicles. Furthermore, the law will minimize losses that public service vehicle owners incur when their vehicles get involved in accidents that wreck their vehicles and destroy their cargoes.
Having to fit the devices is an extra, fresh cost which we acknowledge but given the losses that are associated with speeding, we are hopeful that vehicle owners will embrace the order and proceed to do what the law says. After fitting them, they must ensure that they are always functional so that they serve their purpose.
As with any law, there is always the risk of some people refusing to comply but we trust our law enforcement agents.
Having said this, we are mindful of the fact that the statutory instrument applies to public service vehicles only, excluding private vehicles, which, too, are involved in accidents due to speeding. This is a gap that must be closed. A more robust deployment of officers with functional speed traps can help.
At the end of the day, however, we must indicate that the most effective law enforcer is the self; is the driver, the owner of the public service vehicle. We call on them as well as private motorists and other road users to just obey the law.
Online Reporter