The Road Transport and Safety Agency has projected a positive road safety outlook for 2019 as the country records a reduction in road traffic accidents and death during the just ended Easter holiday.
According to statistics released by Zambia Police recently, the number of road traffic accidents dropped from 260 in 2018 to 212 in 2019 during the same period.
Further, the number of fatalities reduced from 26 in 2019 to 15 in 2019 representing a reduction of about 47 percent.
RTSA Head of Public Relations Fredrick Mubanga says the statistics are a clear indication that the country could achieve a meaningful reduction in road traffic crashes if all road users adhere to traffic rules and regulations.
Mr. Mubanga said the drop in road accidents and deaths during this period could be attributed to the intensified highway traffic law enforcement by a joint team of RTSA and Zambia Police officers which culminated in increased compliance levels to traffic rules and regulations by all road users.
He has reiterated the Agency’s call on all road users, especially motorists, to strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations if the country is to record a further reduction in road traffic crashes for the year 2019.
Speed cameras are an effective guaranteed deterrence. they have also minimised corruption.
News of teens dying in accidents in the Kitwe and Lusaka Roads in their well to do parents vehicles are a thing of the past. Same thing with accidents on Petauke to Chipata stretch, Kafue to Lusaka stretch and Ndola to Kitwe. There is little mad speeding now lest camera fingers you. Kachasu drinkers of Chibolya and John Laing are also surviving longer crossing Kafue Road in drunken master step to and from Misisi.
Easter was long time ago.
People are broke. You think anyone has time to go tearing down the road with empty pockets and ka tank pa empty. OK, that said, it is a good thing that lives are saved as a result of those speed traps and whatever else is making people drive sensibly masiku wanu mwandini. Just improve on the public buses that are still taking people’s lives.
260 in 2018 to 212 in 2019. 212 is still very high, kwati ni mukondo sure
People didn’t have money for fuel to travel during Easter. Civil servants were not paid and many quasi government institutions like zampost, universities, councils etc etc were not paid so could not travel for holidays.