Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
TWO people lost their lives in separate road traffic accidents in Bulawayo last week.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said the first accident occurred on 2 July at around 2:30am along Plumtree Road, opposite Donnington Police Station.
An unknown motorist, who was travelling south along Plumtree Road, allegedly struck an unidentified male pedestrian believed to be about 25 years old.
The victim was wearing red jacket, blue T-shirt and black trousers.
The driver fled the scene without stopping to render assistance or report the accident. The pedestrian sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot.
In a separate incident on 5 July at around 10:15pm, a 43-year-old man died after a vehicle overturned along Khami Road near DA Garage.
Police said the driver, identified only as Josh, was driving a Toyota Corolla westwards with three passengers on board when he allegedly hit a pothole and lost control of the vehicle.
The car overturned and landed on its roof.
One of the passengers, Sibangani Mpofu (43), suffered serious head injuries and died at the scene, while two other passengers sustained various injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
The driver fled the scene after the accident.
Police statistics for the past week show that Bulawayo recorded 98 road traffic accidents, of which two were fatal. A total of 23 serious accidents and 74 minor accidents were recorded.
The crashes claimed two lives, while 52 people were injured.
Insp Msebele urged motorists to avoid speeding, exercise patience on the roads and obey traffic regulations.
Pedestrians have also been encouraged to wear reflective clothing when walking at night to improve their visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
