‘Reckless behaviour undermining road safety’

Fatima Bulla-Musakwa

THE flagrant disregard for road rules and regulations is undermining safety on the country’s roads, resulting in needless fatalities, the police and other stakeholders have said.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail ahead of the Zimpapers Safe Driving Conference set for this Friday in the capital, Zimbabwe Republic Police national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the flouting of road rules by motorists was worrying.

“The first thing which drivers or motorists should know is that road safety is a collective responsibility and drivers are licensed to set an example on the roads.

“Let’s all play our part in reducing accidents and saving lives. Obey traffic laws, wear seatbelts, avoid reckless driving and stay alert. Together, we can make our roads safer for everyone,” he said.

“Yes, laws can be put in place and the police can effect arrest, but as long as we don’t have a change in mindset, in attitude by drivers, we will continue to have problems.”

Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) media and corporate communications officer Mrs Lucy Kuwandira Mapfumo called for behavioural change amongst motorists.

“As TSCZ, we continue to urge motorists to desist from these reckless driving behaviours. Be courteous to other road users as rightfully depicted by the defensive driving course and to always bear in mind that a road is a shared space that needs to be shared responsibly.

“We encourage drivers of both public and private vehicles to train in defensive driving to preserve the sanctity of life,” she said.

The Zimpapers Safe Driving Campaign and Conference was mooted following the alarming levels of road carnage.

The campaign, which is running under the theme “Reduce Road Carnage: Stop. Think. Act”, seeks to promote observance of road rules and regulations.

Through publishing stories of people who have lost loved ones or had life-altering injuries, Zimpapers seeks to demonstrate the impact of accidents that goes beyond mere statistics. Zimpapers group chief executive officer Mr Pikirayi Deketeke urged various stakeholders to attend the conference.

“As Zimpapers, we are licensed to service the public in terms of their concerns; what keeps them awake at night.

“One of the key issues that has emerged over the last couple of years is the carnage on our roads; the disorder on our roads. We believe, as a company, we need to start taking action.

“This conference is for everybody. We are all road users, we are all pedestrians, whether we are riding on cycles, driving cars or passengers in a commuter omnibus, we are all being affected. Every time you drive and you see disorder, it affects all of us,” he said.

“We need to start cautioning our drivers that they are causing the loss of lives among the population in Zimbabwe. Roads have become unsafe and, as a media company, we want to be at the forefront of this campaign . . .”

 To sponsor or attend the Zimpapers Safe Driving Conference, contact Fatima on 0772892872/email: [email protected] or Kumbirai on 0782623185/email: [email protected]