The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has cited billboards mounted on the Islands of the highways, use of second-hand tyres and negligence by drunken drivers as some of the major causes of road traffic accidents in Zambia.
RTSA Chief Executive Officer, Zindaba Soko, said that the agency has noted that billboards on Kafue road has contributed to the number of people being bashed as they obstruct pedestrian from seeing the on-coming vehicles.
Mr Soko disclosed that the RTSA recently carried out Road Safety Analysis in which it was discovered that besides the increase in volume of traffic, especially in Lusaka, billboards, use of second-hand tyres, drunken driving and over-speeding have greatly contributed to the cause of traffic accidents that have claimed many lives.
Mr Soko was speaking during the pre-recorded Zambia Today radio programme which is produced by the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS).
He said 65% of drivers on the roads, especially over the weekends, drive under the influence of alcohol hence end up causing accidents which he said could be avoided.
He said the agency has come up with measures that include the recruitment of 60 Road Traffic Inspectors, the introduction of mobile fitness tests and introduction of the highway surveillance system to monitor drivers’ behaviour in order to mitigate the number of traffic accidents on the roads.
Mr Soko disclosed that the agency has procured the mechanized motor vehicle fitness equipment which he said will be launched soon, adding that the agency will soon introduce the use of evidential cameras in dark spots where accidents frequently occur.
Meanwhile, Mr Soko said the RTSA has discovered that driving schools have a lot of anomalies in the training of drivers hence will soon come up with a new syllabus used by all driving schools in the country.
Mr Soko also said the agency wants the introduction of fast track courts for traffic offenders as a deterrent measure so that offenders are quickly prosecuted.
Road traffic accidents in Zambia are ranked the third highest cause of death after HIV/AIDS and malaria and are the second leading cause of death for people aged between 5 and 20 years old.Road traffic accident claim over 1000 people every year in Zambia.
Okay Mr 60 secs (RATSA) tell me that which i don know?
Drunken drivers must be subjected to community service and a licence suspension. We need people to clear the garbage around city market and other parts of town
@Theorist
What a great idea! I know this would be a deterrent to a lot of people. Sweeping the streets of Cairo road in broad daylight would injure their carefully calculated images of wealth and beauty (Gross miscalculation on both counts of course).
Billboard should not be an obstacle to an on-coming vehicle in accident. One thing I have noticed in Zambia is that there are not standards of the metal to be used even regid Steel Universal RSJ beam is used in some cases to erect these billboard Ads on roads sides. This beam can stop a motor vehicle in its tracks in a collision and is equivalent to hitting a brick wall head-on… there by causing serious damage and injury.
In the UK they use mild metal tubing for billboards stands this is what the City council and RTSA should be pushing through as policy…road side furniture and fittings should only collision the impact but not stop it
@ Jay Jay, in some places the billboards have been put in the center island at eye level every 5-10 meters. This creates a wall of advertising and means you cannot see vehicles turning, pedestrians, etc.
Like this, it is an obstacle and a hazard (….not to mention an eyesore!)
In short, ZABS needs to step in with “STANDARDS” applicable to outdoor advertising. ZABS also needs to BAN the importation & trading of not only used tyres, but used auto spares as well. I was shocked to see a display of used SHOCKS, used CV-Joints & suspension parts along Lumumba road!
ZABS & RTSA need to seriously look into the .com cars & spares. Only cars within 3 years from year of manufacture must be allowable for import!
@Theorist
I concur with you on most points except on ONLY allowing of vehicles that are three or less years to imported. A car manufactured in 2010 is a good as new and I don’t think many people in Zambia would afford to buy that car, even in Britain very few would afford to buy a car with 2010 reg. plates outright. The solution around this problem is for the ZRA to reduce duty on these cars that are less than 6 years old…I think Kenya has something similar this discourages people importing “bangers”. ZRA also need to modernize their database why should everything be guesswork in some African countries you know how much duty its going to cost you even before you buy your vehicle.
if i were to rank the causes of RTAs in zambia . it would be;
1] driving under the influence
2] poor state of roads
3] careless driving by half baked drivers
4] poor state of motor vehicles
5] un anticipated increase in the volume of traffic on our roads in a short period of time
20] compromised visibility on roads[ including the bill boards factor]
6. No road markings
And showing off
10] thinking you will go to heaven when you die, so it doesn’t matter
11] thinking God is going to prevent accidents, so you don’t have to worry
12. Poor judgement, i.e distance versus speed when overtaking
13. NO road signs in key areas
Poor road construction (With sharp or steep edges)
Narrow lanes.
Two major causes of accidents;
1. Old ass vehicles not safety features
2. Narrow bad roads that do not allow smooth flow of vehicles.
The rest are secondary… widen roads, encourage dual roads. Great for safety.
It is so true that drunkenness, over-speeding are one of the top causes of accidents. But I should also add that Most Driving schools are after money and are not up to helping the new drivers in any way, Equally the RTSA Instructors do not follow the official route for final tests instead they take short-cuts. If much attention was given during driving lessons I am so sure we would not have problems on the roads, a driver is supposed to be cautious & courteous when driving but to no avail. Can RTSA look into this. Corruption is also the main reason and hence all does not go well when one is about to hold a driving license. Many new drivers do not have confidence when reversing, they hate being in town and I wonder how they obtained their licenses? Let us always consider our future.
Yes, the advertising signs are a big problem (Addis Ababa, Great East Road, etc).
Not only are the signs ugly (what garden city?) but they have been put at eye level so block all chances of seeing pedestrians and turning vehicles. This is a hazard and totally avoidable if someone had just thought a little bit first. But instead all LCC wants is advertising money (…and probably to pay kickbacks to their friends and political supporters with business to put the signs up!).
As for drunk driving, the answer is simple – BREATHALYZERS!!!
Let some men driving home from “the club” spend the night in jail and the problem will soon be reduced! RATSA might even create a few new jobs for taxi drivers in the process….
Why is RTSA so scared of using those breathalysers to test for alcohol on the highways and in cities? We know you have them because you had announced having bought them? That way no one will dare take alcohol when they are to drive. Come on, give business to tax operators as well by discouraging drink-driving. Developed countries use them effectively. Why are you not using them? You spent our money to buy those things only to keep them. Why are you people like that? I am angry with you over this one. And why don’t you put road hazard signs to warn people of big potholes on highways? You know these are bad. And the white lines, and the …… and the….. and the…..There is more for less you can do than to start talking about billboards. Was it a drink driver who told you that?
I think the solution to the drunken driving is a bit more than use of the alcohal testers alone is not the solution. The issue of corruption and paying bribes will arise. People who fail the alcohol tests will get off by bribing the officers just as is the case with what happens at speed traps now. While it may be part of the solution a bigger change required is with morals and ethics of our society. Right now drunk driving and paying bribes is so tolerated by our society. Society (that is you and eye) should first change our attitude about what s right and wrong with regards to drunk driving and the dangers it posses and paying bribes. Stiffer penalties for both might be a step in the right direction also
We had weekend detentions during my time .That is If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you go to chimbokaila on Friday at 6pm and come out on Sunday at 5pm., for 3months no weekend for you to enjoy!
bufi
Ubu kopo ba RTSA, don’t tell me you did not know this already? Billboards are the new business in Zambia, You see advertising boards from one end of the road to the other. They are a major obstruction and can be very blinding. Minimize please. I was also disappointed that Ndola is full of billboards advertising women and girl children saying ‘ain’t I cute’…and the citizens don’t see anything wrong in this. Yet there are endless defilement and gbv cases in the country. Please people realize that advertising is for things that you consume, putting a girl child on a large billboard is not a compliment to the child, you are putting it in the subconscious of someone who can not control their urges to ‘consume’.
Pot holes toooo much pipo tryn avoid pot holes,too much Toyota make v/hicles which r unstable instead of Germany/UK…tyres should be duty free.Reduce duty on latest v/cles so pipo can buy good condition cars…
The introduction of barriers and proper footpaths on highways will easily reduce the number of incidents involving a pedestrian getting hit by a motor vehicle. Also a night in jail and high fine which increases with each offense of within a 6 month period can act as deterrent for those who enjoy driving under the influence.
since independence we have never had low calibre of traffic officers like now,you cannot kill all elders in the village and expect the village to be run well,experienced former RTC inspectors were kicked out without letting them train the incoming RTSA officers how to conduct driving and motor vehicle examinations.please RTSA even data capturers need to have motor vehicle mechanical knowledge to enable them capture the correct data.Can the government please address this issue the old RTC inspectors are still alive,look at old man at the ministry of finance he is doing well.
Gvt. Should authorize reputable garages to carry out fitness like in the UK than RSTA who do not have proper equipment.
@yayi,it’s no bufi about those weekend detentions,Iam talking about the years 1973/74/75.This was real.You were probably in your nappies.Dont argue you were not there!!
Good! Now let us do something about this as soon as possible.
Fatal accidents involve buses and ‘canters’ and usually it is on highways where there are few bill boards.
Over speeding Bwanamukubwa.. enforce speed limit and pls put up signs..I do not see any speed limit signs on the highway
How can RTSA deliberately choose to overlook the highest contributing factor which is poor road infrastructure?
There are just too many vehicles on the road . Its normal. Do you know number of accidents per minute in the US.
It’s not rocket science, the picture says it all. Mr Soko needs to send a team of experts to neighbouring countries such as Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa and learn how to construct decent roads. We have come of age in the construction of shopping malls and beautiful houses in Zambia. Surely why is it so difficult to build decent roads? Stop taking people for fools. Bad tires, bill boards and careless driving are all factors of negligence by law enforcement agencies. RSTA is in fact admitting incompetence at the highest level by publicly admitting things that are within their control as causes of carnage on Zambian roads. Any hazardous conditions such as rain or even just darkness would make the road in the picture lethal. Build decent roads and ensure there is order.
come on , this dud has deliberately neglected the number one cause of accidents here in zambia the bad state of the roads. who doesn’t know that zambia has the worst roads in this part of the region
Very articulate and informative comments. We are a young nation and fairly new to driving. Di the hope is that as our driving careers progress people shall come to appreciate the dangerous consequences of irresponsible driving. Also. We might have to control the volume of vehicles being imported into the country thats if gov can’t keep up building new roads in relation to cars
BILLBOARDS SHOULD BE AT A SPECIFIED DISTANCE FROM ROADS.
ROAD SIGNS SHOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED.
PEDESTRIANS SHOULD ALSO BE EDUCATED ON HOW TO USE OUR ROADS.
THINK OF IT,WHY ARE THERE PARKING SLOTS AT BARS AND TAVERNS?
And phone use while driving,plus selecting music while driving.
The siavonga botom road ll be numbr 1,causing accidents bcz of corners.engineers too! Much corupt,that lady frm botswana she is doing nothing.Govmnt money ar paid to the people who ar doing nothng,RDA WAKE UP.
I think Ratsa is doing a recommendable job. I totally agree with Mr Soko. Dont use short cuts if you want a driving licence but pass through a driving school. I would like to recommend our Ratsa Ndola aiport officers Mr Eugene Chisha for their strictness when issuing driving licences, fitness etc .Guys dont be moved but always do the right thing. Remember life is precious.
RATSA should carry out a scientific research. What they have stated are mere assumptions. I have seen so many factors that can cause accidents. Some roads have no markings not to mention road signs… Some vehicles are not fit to be on the road, Drivers are too excited overtaking anywhere… Grass on some bends is not cleared, Trucks park anywhere…. Traffic Officers allow vehicles which are not fit to proceed after some agreements with the erring drivers. There are alot of leaner drivers…..
oh you left out corrupt police officers