Christmas death toll rises to 17

17 people have been killed in road accidents that occurred on the 24th and 25th of December.

13 people were killed on Christmas eve while four people died on Christmas day.

81 accidents were recorded for the two days compared to 87 accidents and 27 deaths during the same period last year.

208 accidents have been recorded so far since the beginning of the festive season, while last year at the same time, 293 accidents were recorded.

Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said 7017 motorists were arrested for various offences compared to 7045 last year.

He said 121 vehicles have been impounded while last year, while 141 were seized.

Chief Superintendent Nyathi urged motorists to observe speed limits and respect road regulations, adding that passengers should not be negligent when using roads as well.

This year, the police mounted more road blocks in the country's major roads and the government came up with new punitive measures that include a US$100 fine for drivers who proceed on red robots.

The move is expected to bring sanity on the roads and change the attitude of drivers.