Zambia: Road accidents have claimed thirty-two lives during the three-day period of the easter holidays. The information was made public by Rae Hamoonga, who has expressed concern about the situation.
The road traffic accidents happened in various locations across the country.
The authorities are extremely concerned about the number of Road Accidents during the Easter holidays. Notably, the authorities of Zambia had warned the people to remain safe and cautious during the festivities.
The police and road management stakeholders have been warning the people that the festive season increases the numbers of Road accidents every year. The situation has been made apparent with the statistics that the laws enforcement authorities have presented.
Police Spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga spoke to the media in detail regarding the concern. He claimed that 338 road traffic accidents were recorded in the highlighted period. Out of this number, 24 accidents were fatal while 26 were classified as serious.
59 persons seriously injured due to the road traffic mishaps. Further, the Police spokesperson noted that they recorded 78 light traffic accidents during the period with 91 persons injured.
The numbers indicate a massive increase in the number of accidents as compared to the same period in 2023.
During the 2023 Easter Holiday, 208 road traffic accidents were recorded, with 24 persons killed. The numbers have almost doubled compared to the previous year. During the 2024 Easter celebration, the authorities recorded 210 damage-only road traffic accidents, compared to 115 in 2023.
The police authorities have also shared some statistics from the individual cities and provinces. The statistics suggest Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of Road Traffic Accidents with 207 incidents and 6 fatalities.
Copperbelt recorded 28 with 2 fatalities, Central Province recorded 27 with 5 fatalities. Southern Province witnessed 21 Road Traffic Accidents and 2 fatalities.
Furthermore, the authorities revealed that the Eastern Province recorded 14 accidents in which two people died. Luapula Province of Zambia witnessed 12 accidents with 9 of the victims succumbing to their deaths.
Finally, the Western Province recorded 11 accidents with a single fatality. The authorities believe that the increase in these statistics is due to various misjudgements by road users.
Some leading causes may include excessive speeding and disregard for traffic laws. The authorities have repeatedly cautioned road users to be cautious while driving their respective vehicles.