The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) is saddened by the death of four people in a road traffic accident that happened this morning.
Three people died on the spot among them two girls from Moomba Secondary School in Chisamba District after a Toyota Hiace minibus they were being driven in, lost control and overturned on the Great North road near Savanna Park.
The other pupil died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
The conductor of the bus is among the three that died while the driver and nine other children, seven girls and two boys from the same school are admitted at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
Among those admitted is the driver Lucky Chimanga, 24, of Chazanga in Lusaka.
Preliminary accident investigations conducted by the RTSA have revealed that the driver is unlicensed to drive a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) and does not qualify to drive a PSV due to the fact that he is below the age of 25 years old, the required age to obtain a PSV Drivers License.
The investigations also revealed that the driver was over speeding, and lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle from the left side, and overturned several times.
“As the RTSA, we are saddened by the loss of young lives through an accident that could have been avoided had the driver been stopped and withdrawn from driving the vehicle he is unqualified to drive,” says agency Spokesman Frederick Mubanga.
He added, “In line with this, the Agency is warning motorists without Diving Licenses to refrain from driving, as those found wanting will face the wrath of the law. Further, we caution all motorists to observe appropriate speed to avoid road traffic accidents.”
Comment: It is horrific and i m saddened may the families involved be in Gods care.lets hope *****s will not involve PF.
Loss of three lives is better than 4
Thanks
2014
This is sad indeed.RTSA should go further to prosecute the owner of the bus for allowing someone without a PSV licence to drive a public service bus.Further this is an indictment on RTSA for not being proactive, why was this driver allowed to drive public service buses without valid licence.There are so many other drivers without such licences but are allowed to drive.the majority of these drivers have a tendance of dropping off passengers at Zesco and Kamwala but stops instead off proceeding to town.RTSA and traffic police shoulD up their acts.
Yes vacarious liability. Prosecute the owners and the families should sue the owner for the same not for the lives lost as they are irreplaceable, but to allow the courts to demonstrate the value of their precious children’s lives. The driver should do hard labour and be forgiven by the families.
Ba RTSA please be proactive. There are lots of drivers who are clearly below the age of 25 plying our roads in Noah taxis on the Copperbelt…! This is a sad loss of young lives…. That unLucky Chimanga should be put away for a long time together with the owner of the vehicle.
No words are enough for this. May God receive into his light the young lives lost and bless their families with the comfort of remembering their love for one another.
In this era and age, Zambia has failed to establish an institute to regulate public transport. RTSA have no clue. What Zambia needs is a government institution that exclusively focuses public transport.
How many traffic police force (PF) road blocks does this driver go by everyday? & these cops allow him to continue driving because he leaves them with K50s. This is what happens when a country is overrun by criminals.
The owner of the bus should also be arrested. Maybe they can name the cops they collude with.
RTSA & the cadre PF police (no longer Zambian Police) are toothless who have failed Zambians on the roads like PF has failed to run the economy. We have had too many deadly accidents between Lusaka and Kabwe or Chimbombo area than anywhere else in Zambia and nothing has been done to the public buses or to address the situation or build overtaking lanes. First impose speed limitations on public transport to a maximum of 90Kmh on all highways without a dual carriageway. Travel from Lusaka to Ndola should now between 4 & half hrs to 5 hrs to avoid overspeeding. Buses should display warning RTSA signs warning of dangers of overspeeding & encourage the public to text RTSA & give details of an everspeeping drivers & not the more corrupt PF police.
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Drivers who cause deaths because of their carelessness should be banned from driving for over 7 years. Warning signs should be on all our roads and especially on the major roads. Rules about overloading should be reinforced. Bus owners who fail to adhere to the rules should be punished severely with imprisonment or severe fines. No loud music or videos in buses. I will write more later.
But you have heard from the horse’s mouth (CK – Or is it Hippo’s) that RATSA is one of the govt institutions full of cadres! What do you expect???