6 people dying in road crashes daily: Zimstat

Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency reports that 2 079 people died in 52 585 accidents in 2022 with 528 deaths in the last quarter of the year.

This is an increased to almost 6 deaths a day from the 2019 statistics issues by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe that put road crash mortality at an average of about 5 deaths a day when just above 1800 people died annually.

Statistics show that 50 percent of road crash fatalities are drivers and passengers on public service vehicles

The Zimstat report released on Monday also stated that 8 897 people died in traffic accidents between 2018 and 2022:

“Presented in the report are statistics covering the period 2018 to 2022 and pertaining to air transport, road transport, railway transport and inland water transport.

“The report was compiled using administrative data obtained from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Central Vehicle Registry, Zimbabwe Republic Police statistics department, National Railways of Zimbabwe and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.”

The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe has previously said that road crashes cost the country over US$406 million annually, an estimated 3 percent of Zimbabwe's GDP.

The state of the roads and faulty vehicles have been listed among the causes of the high accident rate but police say that driver error is the biggest cause.

"A comprehensive analysis by the police has revealed that most of the accidents are attributed to human error, which includes speeding, inattention, misjudgment, overtaking error, and failure to observe road rules and regulations by drivers," police spokesperson Paul Nyathi has previously stated.

The Traffic safety Council also says about 90 percent of the road accidents which occur in the roads are because of negligence and human error.

ZimStat says 238 017 candidates underwent the certificate of competence tests in 2022 compared to 178 538 in 2021 with 47,1%, passing compared to 41,7% in 202.

Bluestar Driving School director Maxwell Chipwaira says it is important for all drivers to be properly instructed and not just get licenses to show the police at checkpoints and in case of accidents.

“I urge every motorist to be licensed, all unlicensed drivers should be arrested.

“Everyone on the road should have road worthy cars, they should have their cars checked before embarking on long journeys I know most people will be travelling this Easter holidays. Let us be safe on the road and avoid drink and driving,” Chipwaira said.

Bluestar Driving School director Maxwell Chipwaira

The World Health Organization states that road traffic accidents result in the deaths of approximately 1.3 million people around the world each year and leave between 20 and 50 million people with non-fatal injuries. More than half of all road traffic deaths and injuries involve vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and their passengers.

According to the January 2022 Zimbabwe's road safety review, conducted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in partnership with the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, bus drivers and passengers account for 50 percent of road crash fatalities.

Zimbabwe has seen a spate of bus accidents in the past few months with Tynwald School losing 6 learners and a teacher. 13 people died in Chivhu when a Timboom bus crashed this past Sunday.

Drivers and Conductors Association of Zimbabwe president Maguramhinga Fredrick has said competition for passengers among public service transport operators is adding to the carnage on the roads. In addition, unregistered operators mostly using small vehicles commonly referred to as mushikashika, are also adding to the competition for passengers.

Police announced on April 18 that so far they have arrested 17 163.people in their operation on enforcement of route permits and time tables on public service vehicles.