On Wednesday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) released road traffic accident statistics for the 2024 Easter Holiday.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, ZRP Senior Staff Officer (Press and Public Relations), stated that 286 road traffic accidents occurred in 2024—a slight decrease from the 288 incidents in 2023.
Fatal road accidents increased to 26 during the 2024 Easter Holiday, up from 16 in the previous year.
During the 2024 Easter holidays, 27 people lost their lives in road accidents, compared to 29 fatalities in 2023.
This year, 159 people were injured, as opposed to 145 injuries in 2023. Said Asst Comm Nyathi:
A comprehensive analysis by the Police has revealed that most accidents recorded during the Easter Holiday are attributed to speeding, inattention, misjudgment, overtaking error, and failure to observe road rules and regulations by drivers.
The Police did not record major fatal road accidents during this year’s Easter holiday as most fatal road accidents involved private motor vehicles and in some instances pedestrians were victims.
In one of the fatal road traffic accidents recorded on 30th March 2024 along Percy Iboston Road near rail crossing, Cowdray Park, Bulawayo a yet-to-be-identified man was killed after being hit by a Honda Fit vehicle.
In another fatal road traffic accident, a yet-to-be-identified woman was hit by a Nissan NV 350 vehicle whilst crossing Seke Road near Delport Road on 29th March 2024 at around 1230 hours.
Meanwhile, a serious road traffic accident was recorded on 29th March 2024 at the 302-kilometre peg along Harare-Chirundu Road where 14 people were injured when an Andile Coaches bus carrying 19 passengers veered off the road, overturned before landing on its roof.
In, another serious road traffic accident which was recorded on Easter Monday 1st April 2024 at about 0220 hours at the 119-kilometre peg along Mutare-Masvingo Road, 62 people were injured when a Passion Link Coaches bus carrying 72 congregates veered off the road to the left before overturning and landing on its roof.
There is a need for motorists and stakeholders to have a total change of mindset when it comes to road safety during holidays.
The Police implores drivers to avoid speeding in situations which are clearly not safe to do so and overtaking when road conditions are not favourable to them.
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