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Crime Reporter 

At least 27 people were killed while 159  were injured in the 286 road traffic accidents recorded during this year’s Easter holiday. The death toll dropped marginally from the 29 killed last year, with the injury toll rising from the 145 last year.

The number of road accidents remained almost constant, falling slightly from 288 to 286. Of the 286 road accidents recorded, 26 of them were fatal.

A comprehensive analysis by the police found that most accidents recorded during the Easter holiday are attributed to speeding, inattention, misjudgement, overtaking error, and failure to observe road rules and regulations by drivers. All these kinds of accidents are preventable.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said most fatal road accidents involved private motor vehicles and in some instances pedestrians were victims.

In one of the fatal road traffic accidents recorded on Saturday along Percy Iboston Road near rail the crossing in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo a yet-to-be-identified man was killed after being hit by a Honda Fit, he said.

In another fatal road traffic accident, a yet-to-be-identified woman was hit by a Nissan NV 350 while crossing Seke Road near Delport Road on Friday at around 12.30pm.

There were two serious bus accidents, but neither resulted in any deaths.

On Friday at the 302-kilometre peg along Harare-Chirundu Road, 14 people were injured when an Andile Coaches bus carrying 19 passengers veered off the road, and overturned before landing on its roof. 

On Easter Monday at about 2:20 am at the 119-kilometre peg along Mutare-Masvingo Road, 62 people were injured when a Passion Link Coaches bus carrying 72 church congregants veered off the road to the left before overturning and landing on its roof.

“There is a need for motorists and stakeholders to have a total change of mindset when it comes to road safety during holidays. The police implore drivers to avoid speeding in situations which are clearly not safe to do so and overtaking when road conditions are not favourable to them,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.