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Roads are now the biggest killer of young people in Zimbabwe with road traffic deaths constituting a national health epidemic that has reached crisis proportions, local researchers say.Prof Sara Feresu, director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of Zimbabwe told participants at a media workshop on transport and environmental science technology that 58 people were dying per 100 000 and 30 percent of people who die were young people.
Presenting research findings of the Transport and Environment Science Technology Network (TEST), a grouping of researchers in five African countries, she said road traffic deaths were now one of Zimbabwe’s greatest development challenges. “In the past we used to go to more funerals for HIV victims but now we are going to more funerals of accident related deaths,” Prof Feresu said. “We have done well in the fight against HIV and Aids but we need similar resolve to fight rising deaths due to road traffic accidents.”
She said the bulk of people dying from traffic accidents were young people.
“We need to raise awareness among the people to reduce the risk of deaths and injuries on the road. As Zimbabweans we don’t have the patience on the roads. We just zoom across red robots and speed excessively. Young people are drinking excessively and speeding,” Prof Feresu said.
Researchers predict the number of people killed in traffic accidents will rise from the current figures if no urgent action is taken.
Police statistics indicate that a total of 2 094 deaths and 14 965 injuries were recorded last year in the 30 911 road traffic accidents recorded countrywide.
Researchers say although road traffic accidents are rated 12th on the causes of death in Zimbabwe, they fear that by 2020 they may overtake HIV and Aids if no action is taken to improve road safety in the country.
“Law enforcement is still inadequate and sometimes what the police stress on is not important. They just give a ticket and people just proceed and go wherever they are going without being stopped,” Prof Feresu said. “We need to review our strategies for law enforcement and adopt strategies that can effectively address problems related to road traffic deaths.”
According to the 2013 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, more than 1,24 million people are killed and more than 50 million are injured annually in road accidents.
Three thousand five hundred people die every day in traffic-related incidents and 50 million are injured every year on the world’s roads.
Researchers blame the high numbers of fatalities on transport policies that put vehicles, highways and speed before people and road safety.
Most of those who die are in developing countries, with 20 countries accounting for 70 percent of global road deaths.
Children and young people are the worst affected, with road traffic injuries now the single biggest source of fatality among 10 to 24-year-olds worldwide.
Mrs Doreen Tirivanhu, a researcher at the Institute of Environmental Studies said lack of vehicle inspection, speeding, weak law enforcement, drunk driving and poor infrastructure was spiralling road deaths and injuries.
“Lack of capacity in data collection, analysis and interpretation for policy as well as limited road safety research and outdated technology was also contributing to the crisis,” she said.
“We need to raise awareness on this crisis and develop national road safety strategies that are adequately supported to curb road traffic fatalities.”
The TEST workshop aimed to raise awareness among journalists on transport and environment issues in Zimbabwe and Africa focusing on air pollution, road safety, traffic flow management, equity and climate change.
Online Reporter