Source: November road fatalities top 112 | The Herald December 13, 2016
Crime Reporter
OVER 100 people died in road accidents countrywide last month alone and nearly 700 were injured, the Zimbabwe Republic Police said yesterday. These were recorded from 99 road traffic accidents.
The statistics come at a time when Zimbabweans are preparing for the festive season. Police expressed concern at the increase in fatal road accidents and have urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads especially during the festive season.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said it was important to observe road laws. She said violators face arrest.
“For the record, it is disheartening to note that during the month of November alone, we recorded a total of 99 fatal road accidents that claimed 112 people. A total of 692 people were injured in separate road accidents during the same month,” she said. “We implore motorists to observe all traffic laws as they travel to different destinations.”
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said it was important for motorists to plan their journeys and avoid travelling at night.
“We also entreat public service operators to desist from over-burdening drivers by carrying out incentivised extra trips as fatigue will catch up with them leading to accidents,” she said.
She reminded motorists that speeding and overloading were offences punishable at law. Drivers have also been dissuaded from crossing flooded rivers and bridges.
“They should also avoid driving while drunk or under the influence of alcohol. Motorists should check that their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on journeys. The police will not hesitate to impound all defective vehicles and arrest all those who flout the rules of the road,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
Early last month, police expressed concern at the surge in fatal road accidents caused by tyre bursts. They said 6 percent of fatal accidents that occurred in August were due to tyre bursts.
This was blamed on use of second-hand tyres.Use of tyres that do not conform to technical standards, high temperatures, overloading and speeding were cited as some of the reasons for tyre bursts.
Other causes include incorrect tyre pressure which changes the shape of tyres. Under-inflation, tyre size and potholes have also contributed to tyre bursts. In August, the police and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe carried out research on accidents involving tyre bursts, following a series of fatal road accidents.
Indications were that the research results could lead to legislation compelling motorists who import second-hand vehicles from Asia and Europe to change tyres before use in Zimbabwe.
COMMENTS
With a total of 3000 ‘Traffic Cops’ spread around the country every 10kms on main roads – and we still have all these accidents and resulting deaths. Something is clearly very wrong here. Ah! Yes, I know – it’s called bribery and corruption. It’s also a result of these so called “Traffic cops” whose ONLY function is to extort money from motorists, it has absolutely NOTHING TO DO WITH ROAD SAFETY. Does the non functioning of your rear number plate light cause any deaths by driving? Does a food package on your back seat cause a death by driving? Speeding causes accidents (and in turn may cause a death or two), but where are the speed traps? Why aren’t tyres (treads) checked at roadblocks? Driving around after midnight causes MANY accidents in this country, why? Because you shouldn’t be driving at that time of the night – you should be asleep in bed, not asleep at the wheel. But no Traffic Cops are around after 6pm.
By 6pm the so called cops are semi pissed having taken the days pickings and await for the new day. By 10pm they are legless and by 12pm they are motherless
Saw it in Mozambique recently – advice is not to travel when dark for obvious reasons.
Set sail on your journey just before dawn breaks or after midnight – these monkeys at 3am will still be in in a coma and so daggaed up on the weed that they might surface at 10am
The worst is around 3pm having fed on liquor for lunch and to milk one at the road blocks for the night at the shabeen complete with a cheap whore.
Saw and experienced how to beat these idiots at their own game!