The Zambia Police Service says it has recorded a reduction in the number of accidents during this year’s Easter long-weekend amounting to 212, compared to 260 accidents recorded during the same period in 2018.
And Police spokesperson Esther Katongo revealed in a statement that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents at 108, while Northern Province recorded only four.
In a statement, Katongo explained that of the 212 accidents that were recorded this year, 14 were fatal in which 15 people died, while 27 were serious accidents in which 33 people were seriously injured, and that 45 were slight road traffic accidents in which 54 persons were slightly injured.
“In comparison with 2018 Easter holiday, 260 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 212 road traffic accidents, which were recorded this Easter. The figures show a reduction by 48 road traffic accidents. The 23 road traffic accidents were recorded as fatal in which 26 persons were killed in 2018 as compared to 15 fatal road traffic accidents where 16 persons were killed in the 2019 Easter period. The records show a decrease by eight fatal road traffic accidents and also a reduction in persons killed by 10. In 2018, 59 persons were seriously injured in 26 serious road traffic accidents as compared to 33 persons seriously injured in 27 serious road traffic accidents in 2019,” Katongo narrated.
And Katongo disclosed that the police command had also recorded a reduction in “damage-only” road traffic accidents from 138 accidents recorded in 2018 to 125 recorded this year.
“The records show a reduction by 13 damages only road traffic accidents. The reduction in fatalities has been attributed to improved levels of compliance by motorists and increased presence of law enforcement officers on roads,” she stated.
Katongo stated that a total of 7,114 road traffic accidents were reported in the first quarter of 2019.
“331 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 402 persons were killed, 667 were serious road traffic accidents in which 1,118 persons were seriously injured; 1,291 were slight road traffic accidents in which 1,730 persons were slightly injured and 4,825 were damage only road traffic accidents. Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 3,743 and 1,285, respectively, whilst Western Province recorded the least with 126 road traffic accidents. In comparison with the first quarter of 2018, a total number of 7,247 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 7,114 recorded in the first quarter of 2019,” she narrated.
She also stated that a total of 346 children under the age of 16 years were involved in road traffic accidents in the period under review of which 186 were males and 160, females.
Meanwhile, Katongo revealed that most accidents in 2019 had been attributed to human error.
