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HomeLocal NewsOVER 6,000 ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS RECORDED

OVER 6,000 ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS RECORDED

NOEL IYOMBWA writes

ZAMBIA recorded a total number of 6,143 road traffic accidents in the second quarter of the year 2020.

According to a statement issued by police spokesperson Esther Katongo, 275 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 332 persons were killed.

She said that 565 accidents were serious road traffic accidents in which 1,016 persons were seriously injured, and 1,284 were slightly injured.

Ms Katongo said that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 3,212 followed by Copperbelt with 1,121 whilst Western and Northern Provinces recorded the least with 130 and 125 respectively.

“During the second quarter of 2019, 7,687 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 6,143 road traffic accidents recorded in the second quarter of 2020.

“The figures show a decrease by 1,544 road traffic accidents.387 road traffic accidents were recorded as fatal in which 458 persons were killed in the second quarter of 2019 as compared to 275 fatal road traffic accidents where 332 persons were killed in the 2020 second quarter,” she said.

 The spokesperson said the figure shows a decrease in both fatal road traffic accidents and persons killed by 112 and 126 respectively.

Ms Katongo further explained that in the second quarter of 2019, serious road traffic accidents of 775 were recorded in which 1,313 persons were seriously injured as compared to 565 serious road traffic accidents where 1,016 persons were seriously injured in the second quarter of 2020.

“The figures still show a decrease in serious road traffic accidents and in persons injured by 210 and 297.

1,348 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 2,046 persons were slightly injured as compared to 1,284 slight road traffic accidents where 1,770 persons were slightly injured in the second quarter of 2020.

Ms Katongo noted that there is a reduction in both slight road traffic accidents and persons slightly injured by 100 and 276 respectively.

The police spokesperson observed that most of the accidents in the second quarter of 2020 were attributed to human error such as excessive speed 963 representing 15.7 per cent misjudging clearance distance 874 representing 14.2 per cent.

She mentioned that other reasons are due to failure to keep to nearside 846 representing 13.8 per cent, cutting in 516 representing 8.3 per cent and reversing negligently 433 representing 7.0 per cent .

“The decrease in road traffic accidents in the second quarter of 2020 as compared to that of 2019 can be attributed to among other factors limited movement as a result of COVID-19.

“Police also observed increased levels of compliance by road users especially the motorists and pedestrians.

“Further, the Zambia Police Service has intensified patrols and placement of speed trap cameras in strategic areas, major roads and accident prone areas to reduce road traffic accidents,” Ms Katongo said.

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