The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Harare, Zimbabwe | Xinhua | A total of 127 people were killed and 489 others injured in road accidents during the festive period from Dec. 15, 2022, to Jan. 5, 2023, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said Friday.
This is compared to 102 people killed and 478 injured during the period of Dec. 15, 2021, to Jan. 5, 2022, according to the ZRP.
Road accidents increased to 1,998 in the current festive period from 1,914 recorded the previous year, with the national police saying most accidents involved private vehicles and were due to reckless behavior by motorists.
“The festive period has revealed that drivers need to self-introspect and reconsider the way some are driving on the country’s roads. The bully and unruly driving conduct being shown by some drivers should stop in order to save lives on the roads,” the ZRP said in a statement.
The police also urged drivers to be cautious on the road, noting that a number of the deaths resulted from pedestrians being hit by vehicles while standing at bus stops or walking beside the road.
So sad.
Road carnage is not an isolated problem to a certain country, say Uganda. With increased travel, stakeholders must go back to the drawing to plan for effecient transport system, but chiefly to take road safety education to schools at all levels.