POLICE Deputy Public Relations Officer Danny Mwale says 308 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) were recorded country-wide during this years’ Heroes and Unity Day holidays.

In a statement, Wednesday, Mwale said 28 people died while 41 were seriously injured in these calamities.

“During this year’s Heroes and Unity long weekend, the Zambia Police Service recorded 308 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) Country-wide. 18 were recorded as fatal in which 28 persons died. Police recorded 41 serious injury RTAs in which 109 persons were seriously injured while 66 were slight injury RTAs in which 81 people were slightly injured. During the same period, 183 RTAs were recorded as Damage only Road Accidents,” he said.

“Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of RTAs with 142 followed by Copperbelt with 43, Eastern and Southern Provinces recorded 26 and 24 respectively whereas Central Province recorded 18 RTAs. North-Western Province recorded 17, Luapula Province had 14. Northern, Muchinga and Western Provinces recorded eight RTAs each. During the same period in 2022, a total number of 273 RTAs were recorded country-wide showing an increase of 35 as compared to 308 RTAs recorded this year”.

Mwale said K650,600 had been collected as Admission of Guilt fines during this year’s Heroes holiday.

“Last year, Police recorded 20 fatal RTAs where 21 persons died while 41 were recorded as serious injury RTAs in which 70 persons were seriously injured. The same period, Police recorded 59 Slightly injury RTAs in which 80 persons were slightly injured while 153 accidents were recorded as Damage only Road Accidents. A total amount of K650,600.00 was collected as Admission of Guilty fine during this year’s Heroes holiday compared with K952,286.00 collected during the same period in 2022. An increase in Road Traffic Accidents is attributed to low compliance levels by most road users and human error such as excessive speed, misjudging clearance distance, cutting-in and failing to keep to the nearside,” said Mwale.