The Zambia Police Service says it has recorded an increase in the number of Road Traffic Accidents this year between December 22nd to 26th, compared to the same period last year.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo in a statement yesterday said the Service recorded 234 accidents during the period under review countrywide, out of which 18 were fatal accidents in which 22 people died whilst several others were injured.

And Katongo further stated that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of accidents in which three people died followed by the Copperbelt Province which recorded 27 accidents with one death.

“On accident statistics, from 22nd December, 2017 at 18 00 hours to 26th December, 2017 at 06 00 hours, the country recorded 234 Road Traffic accidents out of which 18 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 22 people died, 32 were serious road traffic accidents in which 52 people were seriously injured and 68 were classified as slight injury road traffic accidents in which 90 persons sustained minor injuries. 116 were damages only which did not involve any injuries to persons,” Katongo stated.

“Compared to the same period last year from December 23rd, 2016 at 18 00 hours to 27th December, 2016 at 06 00 hours, the country recorded 201 accidents out of which 15 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 20 people died, 12 were serious road traffic accidents in which 34 people were seriously injured and 52 were classified as slight injury road Traffic accidents in which 69 persons sustained minor injuries. 122 were damages only which did not involve any injuries to persons.

She also documented the accidents recorded in each Province.

“Lusaka Province recorded 85 road Traffic Accidents with three deaths followed by Copperbelt with 27 road traffic accidents with one death, Eastern recorded 24 accidents with five deaths, Central had 21 accidents with two deaths and Southern had 19 accidents with one death. North Western had 18 accidents with no death recorded, Muchinga had 16 accidents with two deaths, Western had nine accidents with six deaths , Luapula had seven accidents with one death, Northern had six accidents with one death while Kenneth Kaunda International Airports had two accidents with no fatality,” Katongo stated.

She thanked members of the public for celebrating Christmas peacefully.

“2017 was generally peaceful and as Zambia Police, we would like to express gratitude to members of the public for celebrating their Christmas in a peaceful manner. We however recorded some criminal activities around the country during the period under review and the highest crimes recorded were assault occasioning actual bodily harm with 81 cases followed by general thefts with 25 cases, 12 burglary and theft and nine cases of unlawful wounding. Other cases are two thefts from Motor Vehicle, eight cases of house breaking and theft, three murder cases, one theft of motor vehicle, four cases of malicious damage to property and three reports of rape,” stated Katongo.