Chronicle Editor
Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
ROAD accidents over the Independence and Easter Holidays had, by yesterday morning, claimed 17 lives with 258 crashes having been recorded since the holidays started last week on Thursday.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said as at 9AM yesterday, 258 accidents had been recorded compared to 228 during the same period last year.
Asst Comm Nyathi said 17 deaths have been recorded as compared to 21 that were recorded last year over the same period.
“The number of people who have died in accidents may be lower than the number of people who died during the same period last year, but let’s bear in mind that the holiday ends on Tuesday morning.
“I continue to urge motorists to have a mind-set of safety when driving on the roads and always drive responsibly to curb road accidents,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He expressed concern over hit and run accidents and challenged motorists to exercise caution on the roads.
“We’re concerned about hit and run accidents that have claimed lives. Yesterday a pedestrian died on the spot after being hit by a car at the 40km peg along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. Another hit and run was recorded in Rimuka, Kadoma along Chitedze Road, where a motorist knocked down a 43-year-old man and fled. The man died on the spot. In a similar incident, a cyclist was hit by a motorist and died on the spot at Inyathi Hospital turn-off yesterday,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He attributed most accidents to human error, saying they could be avoided.
Speeding, misjudgement, overtaking error, failure to give way, following too close, reversing error, negligent pedestrians or cyclists and fatigue are some of the human mistakes contributing to deaths on the country’s roads.—@pamelashumba1
Online Reporter