Traffic accidents devouring citizens

Lazarus Sauti

Zimbabwe, just like most countries in southern Africa, is losing its productive citizens due to road accidents.

Figures released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) early this year show that Zimbabwe’s roads have become death traps with an average of 2 000 people dying each year on the roads.

The statistics also revealed that 130 people lost their lives in 345 accidents during the festive season alone.

In Namibia, car crashes have also killed 307 people between 1 January and 12 June, 2016, according to the latest Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund statistics highlighted at the recent MVA stakeholder dinner held to celebrate the fund’s financial progress and various initiatives linked to road safety.

In a speech presented by Willem Goeiemann, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, on behalf of Minister Alpheus !Naruseb, a total of 1 772 crashes left close to 3 050 people injured in the same period.

The statistics also stated that in June alone, two car crashes killed 11 people.

Sadly, these crashes that are devouring Zimbabweans, Namibians and citizens from other countries in the region can be minimised as they are caused by avoidable factors such as stray animals, night driving, bad driving as well as poor road infrastructure.

“Stray animals such as donkeys are some of the common causes of accidents on Namibian roads, many of which are fatal,” agreed Namibia’s Attorney General Sacky Shanghala recently.

Recent statistics released to the media by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), confirm that 12 people were killed, while 44 others were injured in April when an MB Transport bus collided head-on with a haulage truck 45km outside Beitbridge town.

The police officer in charge of crime in Beitbridge District, Assistant Commissioner Bobby Murwira, said the bus hit a donkey and swerved to the side of an on-coming truck resulting in a head-on collision that killed 10 people on the spot.

Furthermore, 15 people perished whilst 10 others were injured in June when two passenger vehicles collided head-on along Mutare-Chimanimani Road in Manicaland Province.

The horror crash that happened near Zimunya and described as a dark chapter in the province occurred about 15km outside Mutare at 18:30 when a Toyota Regius, which was travelling from Mutare, had a tyre burst resulting in the driver losing control.  

Police in Mutare confirmed that the vehicle veered off the road resulting in a head-on collision with a Nissan Caravan which was on its way from Bezel Bridge in Marange.

In May, 15 people also perished while six were injured in a road accident when a Toyota Hiace travelling to Marondera was hit by a Chitungwiza-bound Hino truck at the 51km peg along the Harare-Wedza Road.

The accident, according to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, happened at around 19:00.

On approaching the 51km peg, said Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba, the driver of the Hino truck encroached into the lane of oncoming vehicles resulting in a head-on collision with the Toyota Hiace.

“Twelve people died on the spot whilst the other three died on admission to Chitungwiza Central Hospital,” she confirmed. “Six other people were rushed to Chitungwiza Central Hospital for treatment.”

To avoid and/or minimise traffic accidents, drivers should avoid driving at night as well as exercise caution when travelling.

“We are urging motorists to avoid speeding and to exercise caution when travelling,” said Charamba, adding that all drivers should take note that night driving is risky due to poor visibility coupled with narrow roads.

Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Michael Madanha, said Zimbabwe and other countries in the southern African region need world class road network to minimise accidents and transform socio-economically.

“Zimbabwe is in need of investment in infrastructure and in particular roads and energy sectors.

“Our roads now require periodic maintenance as they are past their life span,” he said, adding, “They now need total rehabilitation and that requires new capital.”

Zimbabwe’s Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Dr Joram Gumbo, added: “It is our mandate to ensure that roads are safe for everyone and as a result we adopted a policy whereby those contracted to construct our roads should also erect a perimeter fence.”

Gumbo also urged people to desist from vandalising perimeter fences along major roads as this exposes the travelling public to danger.

In its quest to improve road infrastructure as well as safety in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Namibia Roads Authority (RA) engages its SADC partners.

The Roads Authority has also budgeted R990 million for the construction of roads for the 2016/17 financial year.   

In an interview with this publication early this year, RA’s Corporate Communication Manager, Fillemon Hileni, said the road expansion network will respond positively to the high traffic volumes which are experienced during rush hour.

“The expansion will also reduce road accidents on the western by – pass road,” she said.

Road authorities in Zimbabwe should, therefore, strive to achieve a safe and efficient national road network to minimise the scourge that is stalling social and economic development.

On top of infrastructure development, !Naruseb’s speech urged people responsible for road safety campaigns to strengthen public awareness of the risks of reckless driving and to encourage drivers to take breaks to minimise the risk of crashes because of fatigue.

“Let us collaborate even more closely and work hand in hand towards reducing the carnage on our national roads,” he said.

The Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) President Tafadzwa George Goliati cautioned motorists against driving with defective lights at night.

“Everyone of us must adhere to road rules and regulations,” he said. “Road traffic injuries economically affect victims, their families, and to nations as a whole, due to the cost of treatment.”

Road accidents are ravaging Zimbabweans and other citizens in the SADC regions.

Accordingly, low cost technologies as well as institutional innovations need to be implemented to underpin the required safety improvements not only in Zimbabwe, but other developing nations as well.