Police Record 152 Road Traffic Accidents With 17 Deaths
A TOTAL number of 152 road traffic accidents have been recorded during the Christmas holiday.
And Copperbelt province recorded the highest number of accidents with 54 followed by Lusaka at 50, Eastern 12, Southern eight, Central seven, North-Western and Luapula have recorded six each with Mchinga five Northern three, Airport one and Western province did not record any road traffic accident.
In a statement issued to Mwebantu by police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said out of 152 road traffic accidents, 16 were recorded as fatal road traffic accidents in which 17 persons were killed, 14 were serious road traffic accidents in which 19 persons were seriously injured, 28 were slight road traffic accidents in which 33 persons were slightly injured and 94 were recorded as damage only road traffic accidents.
Mr Hamoonga said in comparison with the previous Christmas holiday of 2020, a total number of 234 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 152 recorded this year’s Christmas holiday which shows a reduction of 82 road traffic accidents.
“In the previous Christmas of 2020, 22 were recorded as fatal road traffic accidents in which 28 persons were killed compared to 16 Fatal road traffic accidents recorded this year where 17 persons were killed. The figures indicates a reduction by Six fatal road traffic accidents and 11 persons killed.Further, in the Christmas holiday of 2020, we recorded 26 serious road traffic accidents in which 33 persons were seriously injured as compared to 14 serious road traffic accidents where 19 persons were seriously injured in 2021.”
“The figures still indicates a reduction of 12 serious road traffic accidents and 14 persons seriously injured.Lastly, 48 road traffic accidents were recorded as slight road traffic accidents in 2020 where 55 persons were slightly injured as compared to 28 slight road traffic accidents where 33 persons were slightly injured in 2021.The figures indicates a decrease in both slight road traffic accidents and in persons slightly injured by 12 and 14 respectively.On damage only road traffic accidents, 138 were recorded as damage only road traffic accidents on Christmas holiday of 2020 as compared to 94 damage only road traffic accidents recorded in the same holiday of 2021. The figures indicates a reduction in damage only road traffic accidents by 44,” he said.
Mr Hamoonga said the reduction of road traffic accidents can be attributed to the road traffic patrols being conducted by Zambia Police Service working with other stakeholders.
He said the traffic section has also been sensitizing the road users through radio and Television programs.
“Such programs have contributed to compliance levels by the road users especially the motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Speed trap management teams in all the divisions were deployed in strategic and accidents prone areas in order to reduce road traffic offences and road traffic accidents during this period,” he said.
SOURCE: MWEBATU
