News / National
Zimbabwe gears up for festive season road safety campaign
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As the festive season approaches, Zimbabwe's law enforcement agencies are preparing for a major deployment on the country's major roads to ensure compliance with traffic regulations and reduce road traffic accidents. Senior police officers, alongside the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, will take decisive action against motorists who flout traffic laws.
The 2024 festive season road safety awareness campaign was launched yesterday, with officers from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), Road Motor Transportation, and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) working in tandem with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). This initiative aims to curb reckless driving and enhance road safety during a period marked by increased travel. The Police General Headquarters will also deploy senior officers to oversee operations nationwide.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona emphasized the importance of tackling any issues related to roadblock management. "We will deal decisively with any situations we believe have not been properly handled by the officers manning roadblocks," he stated, underscoring the Government's commitment to road safety during the busy festive period.
The theme for this year's campaign, "Normal speed meets every need," highlights the critical need for safe driving speeds and responsible driving practices. Minister Mhona urged motorists and public transporters to "drive to arrive alive," noting that the festive season, with its heightened excitement and reunions, often leads to excessive road traffic and higher accident risks, especially during the rainy season.
Reflecting on past years' statistics, Minister Mhona shared a positive trend, noting a decrease in road traffic accidents from 2,689 in the 2022 festive season to 2,228 in 2023. However, he cautioned that road crashes continue to cause injuries and fatalities, which strain families, the health sector, and the economy.
Minister Mhona also highlighted the alarming road traffic fatalities in Africa, which, despite the continent having only 2 percent of the world's vehicles, contribute 16 percent of global road deaths. To address this, the Government has partnered with neighbouring countries to raise cross-border road safety awareness, including launching the Cross Alive Campaign with South Africa.
Minister Mhona urged drivers to avoid speeding, overloading, neglecting road signs, multi-tasking while driving, and operating defective vehicles. He stated, "The police were under strict instruction to arrest and refer for prosecution motorists who violate laid down regulations."
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe stressed the importance of ensuring all vehicles on the road are roadworthy, and voiced concerns over high accident rates. He indicated that investigations into police misconduct at roadblocks would be thoroughly carried out, following discussions with the Commissioner General of Police.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe board chairperson Mr. Kura Sibanda pointed to poor road behaviors, such as speeding and inadequate vehicle maintenance, as key risk factors that must be addressed to save lives. He stressed the opportunity to reduce fatalities through collective efforts in improving road safety.
Maramba-Pfungwe legislator Tichaona Karimazondo, a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport, called for caution and adherence to traffic rules. "Together, we can implement better road infrastructure, promote stricter law enforcement, and ensure that road safety education becomes an integral part of our curricula," he said.
With the festive season fast approaching, collaboration among Government institutions, law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector is crucial in promoting road safety. Chairman of the Zimbabwe Public Transport Organisation Dr. Sam Nhanhanga called on everyone to join the road safety campaign.
Through fostering a culture of compliance and responsible driving, Zimbabwe aims to protect lives, reduce the burden of road accidents on families, and minimize the economic strain caused by traffic-related incidents.
The 2024 festive season road safety awareness campaign was launched yesterday, with officers from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), Road Motor Transportation, and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) working in tandem with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). This initiative aims to curb reckless driving and enhance road safety during a period marked by increased travel. The Police General Headquarters will also deploy senior officers to oversee operations nationwide.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona emphasized the importance of tackling any issues related to roadblock management. "We will deal decisively with any situations we believe have not been properly handled by the officers manning roadblocks," he stated, underscoring the Government's commitment to road safety during the busy festive period.
The theme for this year's campaign, "Normal speed meets every need," highlights the critical need for safe driving speeds and responsible driving practices. Minister Mhona urged motorists and public transporters to "drive to arrive alive," noting that the festive season, with its heightened excitement and reunions, often leads to excessive road traffic and higher accident risks, especially during the rainy season.
Reflecting on past years' statistics, Minister Mhona shared a positive trend, noting a decrease in road traffic accidents from 2,689 in the 2022 festive season to 2,228 in 2023. However, he cautioned that road crashes continue to cause injuries and fatalities, which strain families, the health sector, and the economy.
Minister Mhona also highlighted the alarming road traffic fatalities in Africa, which, despite the continent having only 2 percent of the world's vehicles, contribute 16 percent of global road deaths. To address this, the Government has partnered with neighbouring countries to raise cross-border road safety awareness, including launching the Cross Alive Campaign with South Africa.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe stressed the importance of ensuring all vehicles on the road are roadworthy, and voiced concerns over high accident rates. He indicated that investigations into police misconduct at roadblocks would be thoroughly carried out, following discussions with the Commissioner General of Police.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe board chairperson Mr. Kura Sibanda pointed to poor road behaviors, such as speeding and inadequate vehicle maintenance, as key risk factors that must be addressed to save lives. He stressed the opportunity to reduce fatalities through collective efforts in improving road safety.
Maramba-Pfungwe legislator Tichaona Karimazondo, a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport, called for caution and adherence to traffic rules. "Together, we can implement better road infrastructure, promote stricter law enforcement, and ensure that road safety education becomes an integral part of our curricula," he said.
With the festive season fast approaching, collaboration among Government institutions, law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector is crucial in promoting road safety. Chairman of the Zimbabwe Public Transport Organisation Dr. Sam Nhanhanga called on everyone to join the road safety campaign.
Through fostering a culture of compliance and responsible driving, Zimbabwe aims to protect lives, reduce the burden of road accidents on families, and minimize the economic strain caused by traffic-related incidents.
Source - the chonicle
