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Police spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said 23 people died during the same period last year.
Of this year’s deaths, the Midlands and Manicaland recorded nine each, seven in Mashonaland East, five in Harare, Matabeleland South, Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces recorded three deaths each while Mashonaland West had two deaths and Matabeleland North had one. No death was recorded in Bulawayo City.
Supt Nyathi said since last Thursday, a total of 351 accidents occurred from which 166 people were injured against 150 people in 2012.
He said last year 206 accidents were recorded throughout the country. Police also impounded 90 private vehicles for defects and issued 6 438 tickets for traffic offences.
Supt Nyathi said speeding, inattention or misjudgment, overtaking errors, reversing errors and turning errors were among the major causes of the accidents.
“We encourage motorists to exercise caution as they are driving. They should consider the plight of other travellers thus pedestrians, passengers and other motorists,” said Supt Phiri.
Transport operators also took advantage of increased demand and raised their fares. On Good Friday, a trip from Harare to Mutare was charged US$20 up from US$7 while passengers had to fork out between US$15 and US$20 for a trip from the capital to Nyamapanda. The trip usually costs US$8. The bus fare for the Harare-Bulawayo route went up from US$10 to US$20.
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“We encourage passengers who will have been charged exorbitant fares especially during holidays to report the matter to police officers at roadblocks,” said Supt Nyathi.
“We are monitoring the situation and where we come across operators who are flouting road regulations the law will take its course. Besides checking that public vehicles are not carrying excess passengers and flouting other road regulations, we will also be checking whether these operators are operating in terms of their road permits accompanied by fare tables which are approved by the Ministry of Local Government, Urban and Rural Development.”
Police have launched campaigns to reduce road carnage and some law enforcement agents would continue to clampdown on owners of defective vehicles and those violating road regulations.
Online Reporter