Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Ban on night travel for PSVs is justified-RTSA

Share

RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko, left, and Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director Ezekiel Sekele sign an MOU on road safety.
RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko, left, and Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director Ezekiel Sekele sign an MOU on road safety.

The Road Transport and Safety Agency says Statutory Instrument 76 of 2016 which has banned night travels for Public Service Vehicles is justified.

RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko said research has shown that most of the fatal accidents happen in the night.

Mr Soko said the public should realise that the ban was only effected after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders.

He was speaking last evening when he featured on a live Talk on Monday radio programme on Hot FM.

“This is not guess work, this is backed by scientific data. As RTSA, we started collecting data in 2013 and measuring the size of the problem with regard to road accidents and we have discovered that PSV’s account for 72 percent of all road fatalities,” Mr Soko said.

He also revealed that after interacting with Bus Drivers, it was discovered that most of them are fatigued as they are asked to work for up to 18 Hours.

Mr Soko said the recommended hours of travel is 8 Hours.

“The other causes of road accidents are the use of second hand tyres and drunk driving and unlicensed drivers and unroadworthy vehicles on the road. We are approaching this problem from all angles. We hope with this path we have taken, we will achieve a big reduction in road crashes.”

He said reducing road traffic accidents should take a multi approach and the Statutory Instrument is just one of them.

Mr Soko also revealed that RTSA is the process of introducing speed limiting by GPS later in the year.

But the Patriots for Economic Progress, a newly formed political party has described the Statutory Instrument as baseless, unrealistic, wanton, aimless, unjustified, arbitrary, careless, inconsiderate, misconceived, irrational, ill-conceived and misdirected.

PEP Interim President Sean Tembo said the move been announced by the PF Govt cannot be left unchallenged, given the dire consequences that it will have on our economy.

“We, in the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) will be leading a coalition of progressive minded citizens and stakeholders to challenge this senseless decision in Court, by the senseless PF Government by way of a Judicial Review. The PF Government will have to provide empirical scientific evidence to prove the link between night travel and RTAs. As someone who has done extensive research in this field, l can assure all that such a link does not exist and cannot be manufactured,” Mr Tembo charged.

He said the fact that a few people that have the power to make decisions cannot think straight does not mean that the rest of the country needs to suffer.

40 COMMENTS

  1. The answer is wider, better roads. Francis Town to Gaborone is a good example of some solution to that end. Now what you will get is gridlock during the day as everyone scrambles to travel. The accidents will not reduce, sadly – and this is not a cynical view.

    • Imagine the evening time congestion that’ll be created as a result of this, as buses and trucks try to make it to a truck stop, bus station or gas station to spend the night. Imagine the buses and trucks that’ll be parked all over the highways in the middle of nowhere, simply because they can’t continue driving after 9pm. The idea sounds good, but practically it doesn’t seem to hold. The biggest question is, why don’t developed countries like the USA have these kinds of rules? Trucks and buses in the USA travel at will, all night long. The government should start planning on creating public rest areas, where truck drivers, bus drivers, or private drivers can rest if they feel fatigued. Create these rest areas after so many given km, and they’ll help tremendously. That way a driver…

    • (Continued)… can rest, and when they feel refreshed, they continue on their way. Also encourage private businesses to invest in roadside truck stops, gas stations, rest houses, motels, etc. In addition to all these, enforce the laws concerning the things you mentioned. Buses and trucks should be forbidden from using second hand tires. Vigorously enforce the speeding rules on all major highways, and enforce the inspection rules, making sure commercial vehicles have been deemed roadworthy by the inspecting authorities before they can be put on the road. Enforce licensing rules, making sure people who drive commercial vehicles have valid driver’s licenses. And if anyone is found not complying with the law, they should face severe penalties, with prison time. If you do all these things,…

    • (Continued)…you’ll have no need to ban night traveling, which you deem to be the solution, but in fact will only create more congestion during the day, and thus potentially create more accidents. Also taking 8 hours from people’s working time slows down economic growth. The economy has to be running 24/7 in order to grow.

    • These guys are doing everything possible to slow down the economy.
      PSV is what is known as “commercial drivers license” in some places and one wonders how you would seek to limit the movement of goods and services in such a manner.
      Don’t target the vehicles, target the drivers!
      Mandate teams of two drivers for certain routes on buses and limits of only 8hrs/day on all commercial trucks. All commercial trucks to be fitted with GPS devices that can alert authorities if driven for more than 8hrs/day by a single driver. Devices at toll gates and weight stations should alert officials if truck has been running more than the stipulated time.

    • Lie Detector,
      Trucks are not PSVs. For your information PSV mean Public Service Vehicle e.g Buses, Mini buses and Taxis

  2. Am actually surprised and shockes d that RTSA does not think or mention the state and conditions of the roadsis not a factor at all in contributing to the accidents and carnage on the roads.

    • Roads are bad, but Police are corrupt and they let drivers drive while intoxicated, so they are many problems, but banning late driving is not the solution. There are no harsh disciplinary action take for those driving while drunk and that includes the commercial drivers.

  3. “PSV’s account for 72 percent of all road fatalities,” And a decision was made based on this analysis? oh come on…as a country lets be seen to be identifying and addressing the issues correctly and not be more concerned with the appearance of being seen to be doing something about it. people drive and travel at night for various reasons..nobody wilfully wants to drive in the night, its circumstances. if RATSA wants to change something please give the public scientifically justifiable statistics and analysis. PEP is right in one respect, it will slow down the economy. on the eastern province buses start off from chipata around 02-04hrs and are in Lusaka before lunchtime allowing traders to quickly order their goods, come back to the station, board another bus by 15-16hrs and be home by…

  4. Comment:Mr soko has failed to breakdown the percentage of accidents representing during night driving,
    1 the percentage or fraction that represents occured due to human fault.
    2 a fault from the vihecle
    3 because of poor roads
    4 accidents that no one to blame
    the move is unjustifiable because it does not promote bussines or increase production and needs time to achieve something

  5. YES THIS IS A GOOD MOVE BECAUSE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MOCKERY GOVERNMENT WHICH IS ASLEEP. LUNGU HAS MESSED UP OUR COUNTRY. LOOK EVEN WHEN HE IS TALKING HE IS ALWAYS IN A TIRED MODE. ZAMBIA NEEDS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THIS IS WHAT WE INTENDED DOING AS UPND IF THESE CRIMINALS DID NOT HIJACK POWER FROM UPND AND THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE.

  6. RTSA seems to be filled with empty heads. Your officers are busy being corrupt and issuing licences to chaps who are not properly tested. Second hand tyres are not causes of accidents. If you travel on a road like Solwezi-Chingola road at least 3 times a week, even you new Pirelli’s or Continental tyres will eventually give up. Just fix the damn roads fools.

  7. RTSA seems to be filled with empty heads. Your officers are busy being corrupt and issuing licences to chaps who are not properly tested. Second hand tyres are not causes of accidents. If you travel on a road like Solwezi-Chingola road at least 3 times a week, even your new Pirelli’s or Continental tyres will eventually give up. Just fix the damn roads f**ls

  8. Instead of GRZ pushing for a professional drivers body with grades and regular tests which can be paid for by insurance and contributions by bus operators , they use bans.

    This is just a lazy PF GRZ , it is the professionalism of PSV drivers that are causing the carnage. You have unprofessional drunks with other day jobs and drinking the whole day driving buses at night.

    Implement professional standards for drivers with a clear pay structure with Safety courses and tests and you will see accidents drop.

    But this needs GRZ work and incentive.

  9. ZINDABA SOKO, DIM WIT. IN SA YOU HAVE PSV VEHICLES MOVING 24/7 WITH MINIMAL ACCIDENTS, REASON? GOOD ROAD MANAGEMENT. THE ROADS ARE WIDER AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC RULES IS EFFICIENT. ZINDABA SOKO, YOU KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM ON ZAMBIAN ROADS IS THE CORRUPTION BETWEEN ROAD ENFORCERS THEMSELVES. A TRUCKER, WILL DRIVE ALL THE WAY FROM CHIRUNDU, TO SOLWEZI DLIVERING IMPORTS FROM SA WITH A DEFECTIVE TRUCK AS LONG AS HE PAYS HIS WAY AT EVERY ROAD BLOCK. EVEN THOSE CHAPS AT WEIGH BRIDGES ARE IN ON THIS THING. DONT YOU SEE OVERLOADED TRUCKS, SOME EVEN FAILING TO NEGOTIATE KAPILI NGOZI HILLS IN CHIRUNDU, BUT THEY REACH THEIR DESTINATION….

  10. YOUR MEASURES ARE DESPERATE MEASURES OF A DROWNING MAN. HE CAN CATCH AT ALL TYPES OF FOLIAGE TO SAVE HIMSELF. THIS MEASURE WILL NOT REDUCE ACCIDENTS. IT WILL MERELY INCONVENIENCE THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC. DEAL WITH THE CORRUPTION AMONGST YOUR OFFICERS, AND THE TRAFFIC OFFICERS OF ZP. IF NED BE, CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF POLICE ROAD BLOCKS. REDUCE THIS TO LESS THAN 10 FROM CHIRUNDU TO SOLWEZI, AND INTRODUCE CCTV AT ALL THESE POINTS. DOSMISS ALL OFFICERS WHO CIRCUMVERT THE SYSTEM. ALL TRANSACTIONS MUST BE RECORDED ON CAMERA AND REVIEW THE FOOTAGE EVERY WEEK. THERE WILL BE LESSER ACCIDENTS AS YOUR OFFICERS WILL BEE MORE EFFICENT AND SCARED TO BE CAUGHT RECEIVING A BRIBE..

  11. Yes they should have given us more details, like the total number of accidents in 2015 was so and so and those that occurred in the night is this number. It could have been justified if it was correctly established that most of the accidents that occurred in a certain year occurred at night and that this has been the trend in the past few years

  12. This is perfect. It’s timely, after we ALL witnessed horrific late/early night road accidents in the not too distance past. Weeks ago in fact, bringing it home to us the need to do something urgent to stop tired drivers driving working through the night.

  13. WRONG solution for a problem that is well known. In Europe, ALL PSV drivers are supposed to have an ONE HOUR rest after driving for 4 hours. It is a well-known fact that when one is fatigued, they do not READ road situations very well. It is worse when the road situations in Zambia are poorly legible -1. No lighting. 2. No warning signs. 3. Broken down trucks in the middle of the road. 4. Bad road infrastructure. 5. Drink driving. 6. Unroadworthy vehicles.

    All these problems must be tackled together. Banning night driving is like taking an aspirin for a headache caused by meningitis.

  14. It is a step in the right direction, we are in developed countries with freeways and highways. Reason we do not see how dangerous night driving is in Zambia. Botswana and south Africa though have great infrastructure. Dual freeways/highways are the way to go.

  15. The main problem is the professionalism of the drivers.
    They masquerade as PF henchmen by day drinking and dancing dununa reverse .

  16. Did you consider that if you stop nightdriving all the trucks,buses etc. have to be parked somewere.No Laybys,no restplaces,they will all have to stop on the road with no proper warningsystems.The next thing you will record more accidents by hitting stationed trucks etc.Is that the solution??????????

  17. Why not simply make it mandatory to equipp all buses with speed limiters not this GPS nonsense ..who is going to monitor it the bus owners? Folly
    What of HGVs yesterday they were included….Please lets employ experts in this roles or hire expatirates whilst you train locals abroad…these goons are out of their depths.

    • With GPS, If you drive a truck for more than 8 years straight, the gps equipment on your truck can trigger the gps equipment at the weight station/toll gate and police can then detain for further questioning.
      It works very well in the US.

  18. Drivers training in Zambia is a joke.Most drivers do not even road signs are busy driving around busy roads.These are what we cal developing potential hazards waiting the right time to erupt.Most countries have put stringent measures to get a drivers license but here in Zambia its a day thing because of political interference. That’s you fill find that in southern africa traffic police in Zambia and Zimbabwe are the most corrupt. They rob motorist on a daily basis through defective speed gun that has never been calibrated since it was procured. How can two vehicles traveling at different speeds be stopped at the same time just a few seconds after the first has been stopped that you are all above the speed limit.The police and RTSA in Zambia have too much power that you can not explain…

    • Zambia is the only country using road signs which you will never see anywhere else in the world. Bravo Zindaba! I wonder where they found you?!

  19. Personally am

    Personally am impressed with all the comments on this issue. I do hope and wish that RATSA will have a chance to read these comments and suggestions from the general public. These ideas and suggestions can be hard and expensive to find but here RATSA has gotten them for free. LT tell Soko to take time to read our comments on this important matter. Guys this is how we need to come out on national matters. Personally am humbled to see our vast knowledge and understanding on this matter. Let’s keep it this way, we need each other indeed!

  20. I welcome the ban and it is long overdue. Lift in where we will have dual carriage way. I don’t support the GPS tracking system because of our corrupt pf police but agree for all buses and trucks to be fitted with speed limiters which we have suggested several times.

  21. Are these people thinking about the economy?Its the worst decision of the year.By the way do they even know whats causing these accidents????is it Tyre busts,drunkenness,bad roads,over speeding or over loading don’t just say most accidents happen in the night what is the root cause?and work on that.

  22. I am surprised at how much criticise and quote examples without proper searching or research. RSA and Botswana have high accident rates. In Botswana certain vehicles are restricted from moving at certain times of the night.
    Most commentators on this forum have some education but very limited knowledge on issues they want to critic. I pity our companies and our country. Go out and do proper research and then give the public properly researched info. Do not just offer solutions without understanding the problem.

  23. One other thing to check for on the vehicles is the intensity of lights. Many of the secondhand vehicles have blurred lights which can no show beyond two meters ahead of the car(trucks, buses included). Some buses only start operating after the RTSA and Police have gone to SLEEP.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading