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ahead and during the Easter holiday while police will maintain a heavy presence on the country’s roads to monitor any unscrupulous behaviour.
The Easter holiday has in the past years been considered the most deadly because of increased accidents and loss of life.
Transport operators also have a tendency of increasing fares during holidays, taking advantage of the huge volume of travellers.
In a statement yesterday Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche urged transporters to adhere to road traffic regulations in order to reduce carnage.
“As we move towards the Easter and Independence holidays I urge all motorists to use the roads wisely and observe traffic rules and regulations. Our law enforcement agents, the police and VID, will be in full force on the roads and thus violations of road regulations will not be tolerated,” said Minister Goche.
“Public service operators should also not overcharge passengers. They should maintain the fares that they are normally charging. Heavy penalties will be charged if operators are found hiking fares.
“Operators’ licences and route authorities can also be withdrawn or cancelled for such unscrupulous behaviour. I appeal to all road users to exercise extreme caution and ensure that we have an accident-free holiday.”
Minister Goche said the Government was concerned about the loss of life through road accidents and said most accidents were a result of flouting of traffic regulations.
National police traffic police spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome said the police would deal ruthlessly with errant transport operators to protect the travelling public.
“As the police we have sprung an operation called ‘Safe Easter Holiday’. We are targeting vehicles without number plates as these are usually involved in hit and run accidents because of speeding and are commonly used by robbers,” said Insp Chigome.
“Police will impound such vehicles. Those with old number plates would also be impounded because they are no longer appearing in our central registry books. The police would only release such vehicles when they have new plates. We will maintain all the roadblocks.”
He urged transport operators to avoid overloading and speeding, adding that passengers would be ordered to disembark from an overloaded vehicle.
Insp Chigome said the travelling public should avoid using private transport, saying such vehicles do not have insurance to compensate victims in the event of an accident.
He said the police in conjunction with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) would be holding joint campaigns on the roads and called on motorists to co-operate.
Professional Drivers’ Association of Zimbabwe chairperson Mr Albert Sibanda said accident prevention was a collective responsibility and called on travellers, transport operators, drivers and community leaders to play their role.
“Transport operators should go to the loading points and ensure their vehicles are not overloaded. Drivers should avoid speeding and travelling long distances at night,” said Mr Sibanda.
“Passengers should also report any driver to the police who would be taking alcohol or speeding. The police should also execute their duties accordingly and stop accepting bribes. They should arrest all unlicensed drivers and have reasonable roadblocks that would not frustrate drivers.”
TSCZ managing director Mr Obio Chinyere encouraged motorists to drive carefully and avoid taking alcohol and using cellphones while driving.
He also said his organisation was working with the police in conscientising drivers and passengers on traffic safety.
More than 1 800 people were killed in road accidents in the country last year with 85 percent of them blamed on human error.
Recently a bus was involved in an accident, which claimed 18 lives along Inyanga-Ruwangwa Road.
Online Reporter