The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST) is saddened at the increased number of road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities recorded in the second quarter of 2018 and compared to the same period in 2017. In particular, ZRST has noted a twelve percent increase in the number of fatalities this year compared to 2017 during the same period. From this grim situation, the human cost is profound –unimaginable suffering and grief for families and friends involved.
In a press statement released by the Zambia police today:
“Out of 7,713 road traffic accidents recorded in 2018, 399 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 487 people were killed compared to 432 people killed in the same period in 2017. This shows an increase by 55 persons killed and also an increase in the number of fatal road traffic accidents by 71. 831 were serious road traffic accidents in which 1,471 people were seriously injured compared to 2017 in which 1,353people were seriously injured in 732 road traffic accidents. 2,405 people sustained minor injuries in 1, 573 slight Road traffic accidents compared to 2,067 persons slightly injured in 1,422 slight road traffic accidents recorded in the second quarter of 2017”.
Road crashes are preventable and avoidable, if only we all work together to save lives. Many fatal accidents are caused by speeding drivers and people driving under the influence. ZRST reckons that these reckless road users should be dealt with more severely by government authorities.
Speed is a contributing factor in around most of all fatal road traffic accidents recorded by the police. Straight roads which pass by schools, houses and shops and without road humps but facilitate travel at high speed, place vulnerable road users – especially children are at significant risk.
ZRST also believes that there are three categories of road users requiring targeted urgent attention by enforcement agencies. These are: novice drivers (more likely to have accidents), mini bus and big bus drivers because the cause more serious consequences in an accident, including drivers who do not stop at pedestrian crossings.
All road users have to abide by the rules; everyone has a responsibility, motorists should drive carefully to save lives, pedestrians and passengers should play their part of adhering to road regulations.
Road safety depends on everyone. We believe to succeed; the government has an indispensable duty to engage the public, private, voluntary and community and services organizations. Each has an essential role to play.
Finally the ZRST recommends the Zambia police for regularly informing the nation on the status of road safety in the country.
Please also widen our roads. They are too narrow and education on road use is good too. Last time driving from Kitwe, i saw how bad our drivers drive. They are very careless on roads overtaking even when a vehicle is on coming. Over speeding is a big challenge in Zambia. I saw drivers overtaking at bends even where the line is continuous. Also those truck drivers from Tanzania seem to drive very careless put pressure on these foreigners instead of praising their bad behavior
Charles, I think its a lot to do with having unroadworthy cars and unscrupulous drivers that probably didnt pass their drivers licences properly
Remove cars that have NO right to be on the roads
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
Driving etiquette in Zambia is an oxymoron.
I saw traffic police this morning in Mufulira chasing a taxi driver who had absolutely no case to answer, in my opinion. He was charged for careless driving and yet the road to BUTONDO is an eye soar; full of pot holes, no signs, and just total confusion.
All talk…all sadness…but no action. And people will continue to needlessly die. To reduce road tragic accidents you have to actively do something about it. First of, make sure to punish people who drive with no valid licenses. Secondly, punish severely anyone who corruptly issues driving licenses to unqualified people. Thirdly, severely punish people who drive under the influence (DUI), such as people on drugs, or drunk drivers (DWI). Suspend their licenses for a few months, and make them pay a huge fine, for the license to be reinstated. Fourthly, charge people who carelessly cause fatal accidents with manslaughter. i.e. if they survive the accident themselves. Fifth, increase highway patrol police to check on speeders. Make speeders pay a huge fine for speeding. And make sure to…
(Continued)… strictly inspect the roadworthiness of all vehicles, especially commercial vehicles such as buses, taxis and trucks. Also require that all commercial vehicles install speed alarms, or speed alert devices. The speed alarm in buses will alert the passengers that the driver is speeding and the passengers can quickly call the police to deal with the speeding driver. Lastly, make sure that all the roads in the country have clear road signs. If there’s no “STOP” sign where vehicles are supposed to be stopping, how will the drivers know that they’re supposed to stop? Hello? I’m not an expert on this stuff, but I think this is common sense.
Good observations and advice from Zambia Road Safety Trust.hope rtsa will learn from this
There is one thing that almost everyone talking about road accidents ignores. The inception of AUTOMATIC CARS. This means every Jim an Jack can now drive. Someone starts learning how to ‘control’ the steering wheel at 0700hrs, by 1400hrs he is with friends heading to a place outside town for a drink!
Also look at road signage. This country is spending a lot of money building nice roads and immediately after they are done some genius places “60” on it and the police start hiding in the bush to extort money. A friend of mine told me that if you want to travel faster on these Zambian roads drive in the night because they are no speed traps set up by police and I agreed. Let us seriously examine these speed limiters on our roads. Where its genuine let us put them but let’s not put them in the middle of nowhere with a nice road without any schools of villages nearby, it’s causing accidents. There is a lot of noise about over speeding causing accidents but I think ZRST/RATSA needs to conduct a scientific study to ascertain whether the accidents are really caused by over speeding or under…
Cont’d..under speeding. Whenever drivers are overtaking carelessly just know that there is a vehicle in front moving slowly causing a traffic build-up or there is a 60 sign somewhere and those that know the area are slowing down annoying those that don’t. Also the 21hours limit on big buses is causing accidents as drivers over speed to beat the deadline. That SI in my opinion has not helped. Recently I travelled by bus to the east and as we were approaching Kacholola it was already 20hours and this bus “AGAPE” started speeding and leaving passengers past their destinations due to overspeeding just to make it to Petauke where he planned to spend the night. We were still on the road 38minutes inside the deadline. Revoke that SI.
The major drivers of road accidents are as follows: Drunken driving, unworthy vehicles with poor suspension, faded road signs or non exisitent road signs, this includes road markings, corrupt road traffic officers, ill qualified motorists. Second hand vehicles of more than fives old shouldn’t be allowed to be imported in the country, and this can help to drastically reduce accidents.
Accidents are happening coz RTSA is not taking the advice we give them as motorists. They are concentrating on wrong things. For example, they will refuse to give fitness certificate over a very small crack on screen and issue to a vehicle with faulty suspension. what danger is a small crack on screen on passenger side pausing? Serious dangers such as potholes on roads are ignored. Every time i have driven on Mazabuka Kafue road, i have found an accident, what is the cause? Bad Road
Don’t just blame drivers when accidents happens, the blame should also go to RATSA and NRFA. The poor condition of these roads is also a major cause of these accidents. Take for example the Ndola-Kapiri road, the shoulders are gone and been replaced with gullies, road markings which should be the easiest to replace with quality reflective paint are gone, no road signs, the surface is wavy. At night you only see the lights of an oncoming car and pray that where you will be when bypassing each other will be okay. RATSA, the road tax you collect is not for state house nor for paying your salaries, part of it should go into maintaining road signs and markings. The Kitwe Kalulushi road used to have a lot of fatal accidents, the situation ended when a good road was constructed. Today, the road…
My suggestions to RTSA: 1. ban use of spotlights, 2. stop issuing licenses to incompetent drivers, 3. Introduce points (10) on licenses and reduce each time driver has accident, 4. RDA to work on pot-holes & shoulders of our roads, 5. Bring back road inspectors, 6. stop testing people who are not disabled on auto vehicles when issuing licenses, 7. Create more lay-by points and remove broken down vehicles from the roads at the shortest possible time, 8. Clear road markings & signage, 9. Drinking & driving should be banned, revoke licenses 10. Clear the bushes around corners to avoid blind carves, 11. Bill boards & sign posts obstructing traffic should be removed. e.g. corner of Greg Lungu & new Lilayi rd. 12. Remove excess load on vehicle and let driver come back for them instead of just…