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Crime Reporter
Police have expressed concern over an increase in road accidents due to human error following the death of 48 people countrywide over the Easter holidays.

According to police, there was an increase in road traffic accidents during the Easter holiday as compared to the same period last year.

Last year, a total of 25 people died during the same period.

In a statement yesterday, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said most of the accidents were as a result of human error and could have been avoided.

“The major causes of these fatal road traffic accidents were speeding, inattention, misjudgment, overtaking errors and failure to observe road rules and regulations,” she said.

She said a fatal road accident occurred on March 28 at the 19km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway near Shamva turn-off at the tollgate, when an Inveco truck laden with cement failed to stop and collided head-on with a Toyota Dyna truck which was coming from the opposite direction.

Four people died on the spot, while six others were injured.

The following day, at the 86km peg along the Chegutu-Chinhoyi Road near Golden Kopje, one person died while 40 others were injured when the driver of Nissan Caravan commuter omnibus suddenly made a U-turn in front of an oncoming Scania bus that had 57 passengers, resulting with a collision.

On March 30 at around 6pm along Simon Mazorodze Road near Zindoga Shopping Centre, a driver knocked down a pedestrian and lost control of the vehicle which veered off the road and encroached into the lane of oncoming traffic, resulting with a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the pedestrian and two people, including the driver, who were coming from the opposite direction, died on the spot.

“On April 2, 2018, a total of six deaths were recorded from five fatal road traffic accidents that occurred across the country,” she said.

“In Masvingo Province, a speeding motorist knocked down three members of the same family as they tried to cross the road, killing two people on the spot and injuring the other one who was hospitalised in a critical condition.

“A speeding South African-registered bus also knocked down and killed a pedestrian at the 44km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road, while another pedestrian was also run over by a Volvo truck near Gwanzura Stadium, Harare, and died on the spot.”

She said in another separate accident which occurred near Kuwadzana roundabout, Harare, a speeding unlicensed motorist rammed into a stationary vehicle parked on the edge of the road, killing the owner who was behind the vehicle and opening the boot.

One person died while two others were injured when a motorist failed to negotiate a curve and lost control of the vehicle which overturned at the 67km peg along the Rusape-Nyanga Road.

“Our roads are now death traps and a snap analysis conducted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police revealed that the majority of the accidents were due to human error and could have been avoided,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

“There is need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to imbue a culture of good driving conduct in all drivers.

“Car owners should ensure that unlicensed drivers do not and should not be permitted to drive on our roads.”