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ON Thursday last week, 32 people died in a horrific accident which occurred when a Pfochez Yutong bus burst a tyre and side-swiped a Mercedes Benz Sprinter near Kwekwe. The accident, which has been declared a national disaster, saw some victims’ heads being decapitated while limbs, intestines and body parts were strewn all over the place.
Some bodies were retrieved from nearby trees — attesting to the horrific nature of the calamity. In the aftermath of the accident, the Officer Commanding Midlands, Senior Assistant Commissioner Abigail Moyo, delivered a damning verdict on the cause of the tragedy.
She said the accident could have been avoided if the driver of the Mercedes Benz Sprinter, Bhekithemba Tshuma, had reduced speed and pulled off to the left to avoid impact. “We feel that the accident could have been avoided if the driver of the Mercedes Benz Sprinter had exercised caution considering that the driver of the bus struggled to control the bus for close to 300 metres,” Snr Asst Comm Moyo said.
In his condolence message, President Robert Mugabe expressed grief saying he was deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the loss of so many lives from a single traffic accident. “It’s not easy to fathom, let alone to accept that such a big number of people could perish on our roads in circumstances that otherwise could have been avoidable.
“This needless carnage yet again reminds us of the high cost exerted on precious innocent lives by reckless decisions attributable to our drivers and motorists. Indeed, it underlines the haplessness of the commuter who literally hands over his or her life to the driver. Sadly, it’s not always that our road users realise the heavy responsibility they carry on the road.”
President Mugabe said the current wet spell had created treacherous conditions on the roads, requiring that drivers and motorists exercise maximum care and responsibility.
The same wet conditions, he added, enjoined owners of vehicles, especially those catering for the commuting public, to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy. We commiserate with the bereaved families and hope they will find comfort from the assistance rendered by the State during the burial of their loved ones.
We, however, bemoan the increase in fatal accidents on the country’s roads and call on authorities to clamp down on unroadworthy vehicles, particularly those of a public transport nature. The country’s highways have become a death trap and there are many factors contributing to this sad development. There is the human error factor where drivers do not exercise caution and make fatal mistakes.
In the case of the Kwekwe accident, the driver of the Sprinter could have avoided the sideswipe had he been travelling at a safe speed. This would have allowed him ample time to steer clear of the bus which was out of control.
We are aware drivers of kombis are often under pressure to make as many trips as possible and thus drive at excessive speeds endangering the lives of passengers. We urge owners of these vehicles to consider the sanctity of human life and not prioritise profits. In the same vein, public transport operators should always ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.
Worn out tyres and other defects compromise the safety of passengers as evidenced in the Kwekwe accident. The fact that the Pfochez bus burst its tyre midway through its journey to Harare shows that the traffic police along the way waved it through various roadblocks notwithstanding its worn out tyre. By turning a blind eye to an obvious defect, the police are complicit in the carnage which cost many lives.
Road rules and regulations must be enforced without fear or favour to reduce the scourge of accidents. On the same score, the Vehicle Inspection Department must not give certificates of fitness to public transport vehicles that are found wanting. Inspectors must be ruthless with proprietors who do not service their vehicles and ground them until they comply.
The state of the country’s roads continues to be a cause for concern and funds permitting, the government should expedite their refurbishment. Most of the trunk roads have outlived their lifespan and are in dire need of resurfacing. Priority should also be given to an exercise to re-erect a fence along the country’s highways to stop livestock from straying onto roads.
Owners of cattle and other livestock found roaming on busy highways should be punished. Reducing the carnage on our roads requires the collective efforts of drivers, owners of public transport vehicles, the police and other traffic-related agencies.
Because human error is the chief cause of accidents, drivers of public transport vehicles need to undergo retesting at various intervals with a defensive driving certificate being made a priority. The country cannot continue to lose lives needlessly.
Online Reporter