News / National
30 killed in Easter accidents
12 Apr 2023 at 03:04hrs | Views
THIRTY people died while 153 others were injured in 288 road traffic accidents that were recorded countrywide during this year's Easter Holidays.
Of the 288 road accidents, 16 of them were fatal.
During the same period last year, 73 people died, while 202 others were injured in 264 road traffic accidents recorded.
The number of deaths decreased this year, but there was an increase in road accidents recorded compared to last year.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged drivers to obey traffic rules and regulations to safeguard lives.
"It is disturbing to note that some of the accidents recorded during the period are attributed to human error, which includes speeding, inattention, misjudgment and failure to observe road rules and regulations by drivers.
"Most fatal road traffic accidents recorded occurred during the night when travellers were moving in numbers with vehicles overloaded, mixing goods and passengers, in the process ignoring safety measures," he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said on April 7, at around 6am, 10 people were killed, while 31 others were injured in a fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the 192-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Highway when a Toyota Caravan kombi collided with a minibus.
One of the commuter omnibuses had churchgoers of the African Apostolic Church led by Arch-Bishop Paul Mwazha, while the other was carrying members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), who were on their way to attend church services during the Easter holidays.
In another fatal road traffic accident which occurred on April 9 at around 11pm at the 5km peg along Mvuma-Gweru Road, six people died, while five others were injured when a Mercedes Benz Sprinter with 24 passengers on-board side swiped with a UD truck carrying 31 passengers.
The truck driver did not stop after the accident and was involved in another accident at the 192-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Road where the truck veered off the road resulting in the injury of three passengers who were in the truck.
In another accident, two people died, while two others were injured when a Honda Fit vehicle with four occupants on-board veered off the road and landed beneath a bridge at the 213km peg along Harare-Masvingo Road on April 9, 2023 at around 11pm.
Of the 288 road accidents, 16 of them were fatal.
During the same period last year, 73 people died, while 202 others were injured in 264 road traffic accidents recorded.
The number of deaths decreased this year, but there was an increase in road accidents recorded compared to last year.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged drivers to obey traffic rules and regulations to safeguard lives.
"It is disturbing to note that some of the accidents recorded during the period are attributed to human error, which includes speeding, inattention, misjudgment and failure to observe road rules and regulations by drivers.
"Most fatal road traffic accidents recorded occurred during the night when travellers were moving in numbers with vehicles overloaded, mixing goods and passengers, in the process ignoring safety measures," he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said on April 7, at around 6am, 10 people were killed, while 31 others were injured in a fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the 192-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Highway when a Toyota Caravan kombi collided with a minibus.
One of the commuter omnibuses had churchgoers of the African Apostolic Church led by Arch-Bishop Paul Mwazha, while the other was carrying members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), who were on their way to attend church services during the Easter holidays.
In another fatal road traffic accident which occurred on April 9 at around 11pm at the 5km peg along Mvuma-Gweru Road, six people died, while five others were injured when a Mercedes Benz Sprinter with 24 passengers on-board side swiped with a UD truck carrying 31 passengers.
The truck driver did not stop after the accident and was involved in another accident at the 192-kilometre peg along Harare-Masvingo Road where the truck veered off the road resulting in the injury of three passengers who were in the truck.
In another accident, two people died, while two others were injured when a Honda Fit vehicle with four occupants on-board veered off the road and landed beneath a bridge at the 213km peg along Harare-Masvingo Road on April 9, 2023 at around 11pm.
Source - The Herald
