Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
This was revealed by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona at the 9th edition of the Road Safety Journalistic Awards ceremony in Harare. 
Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
The Government is in the process of procuring more breathalysers for use at roadblocks to combat the rising number of accidents caused by reckless and drunk driving.
This was revealed by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona at the 9th edition of the Road Safety Journalistic Awards ceremony in Harare.
“I would also want to advise you that the Ministry of Home Affairs, in partnership with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), is procuring breathalysers to use at roadblocks to combat the rising number of accidents caused by impaired driving,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by Engineer David Jana, the ministry’s chief director for roads.
“These devices will be used at police roadblocks as part of an intensified road safety mechanism to curb reckless and drunk driving. May it be noted that more breathalysers are being procured to ensure these measures are widely implemented.
“I urge you all to actively support these efforts by reporting reckless driving and following traffic regulations. We must also take responsibility as citizens. If you witness dangerous behaviour on the roads, report it immediately.
“Indeed, the Government is aware of and abides by the urgent need to reduce road crashes as promulgated by the SADC Road Safety Action Plan, the African Road Safety Charter, the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety and most importantly the National Development Strategy 1.”
Minister Mhona said the road traffic accident statistics for 2023 and 2024 reveal a critical narrative regarding road safety in Zimbabwe.
In 2023, 2 099 people were killed, while 9 955 were injured in 51 924 road accidents recorded while last year 2 015 people died while 10 074 were also injured in 52 288 road traffic accidents.
“These statistics highlight the necessity for sustained road safety awareness campaigns to educate drivers, enhance infrastructure, and advocate for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations,” he said.
“We must remain vigilant and committed to fostering a culture of road safety to protect lives and prevent needless tragedies on our roads.
“Deaths and injuries due to preventable road traffic collisions are unacceptable. The sanctity of humanity must be preserved at all costs.”
He said road traffic collisions result in deaths, injury, property damage and subsequent psycho-social, economic and physical suffering of innocent lives.
Minister Mhona said the economic impact of road crashes was also a cause for concern while in low and middle-income countries, the cost of road traffic injuries is estimated at up to US$100 billion a year.
“This is money that could be spent on schools, hospitals and economic development,” he said.
“Road traffic injuries cost countries between one and two percent of their gross national product. In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that we lose about US$406 million annually due to the road traffic injury epidemic. This is almost three percent of our Gross Domestic Product.
“Loss of money is temporary pain. You can re-gain it. Loss of life is permanent pain for us all.
‘‘While vehicles and property can be insured, we certainly cannot insure the life of a human being.
“My government is worried about the fact that more than 94 percent of fatal road traffic crashes are due to driver errors. Prompt action must be taken against road traffic deaths. When analysing errors committed by some drivers, you wonder whether they are licensed to drive these vehicles.”
He said his ministry will not hesitate to descend heavily on any culprits implicated in soliciting for bribes and giving bribes to obtain a license to drive a motor vehicle in Zimbabwe.
“Such corruption must be condemned in the worst of terms. It is a very high risk, deeper road traffic crash factor which revolves around the competence of the driver but not easily detected and reported. The media fraternity is affected by road deaths and injuries too,” Minister Mhona said.
He said that Statutory Instrument 10 of 2025 has now made it law that drivers of public service vehicles should now be over 30 years old and this was necessitated by the need to ensure that such vehicles are driven by mature people who are, hopefully, less excitable.
He said furthermore, the Government, through Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023, has made the installation of speed limiting and monitoring devices compulsory for both passenger and goods carrying Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).
The minister said over the years, Government has been rehabilitating major highways and other roads in urban areas but this development has also seen drivers speeding on these good roads.
Minister Mhona said the jungle behaviour of some road users, unlicensed drivers, corruption associated with the testing and licensing of drivers, the condition of the roads, the driver errors causing road crashes, traffic congestion and any rot associated with enforcement of traffic laws must be named and shamed.
He implored journalists to highlight the level of driver errors in all the road traffic collisions that they report on.
Minister Mhona said although road traffic errors are commonly associated with drivers, they can also manifest in pedestrians, animal drovers, passengers, cyclists and motorbike riders.
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