The Zambia Police Service says the number of road traffic accidents recorded from January to December in 2017 has decreased to 30,163 from the 32,350 accidents recorded in 2016 during the same period.
And the Police Service says it has collected a total of K40, 439,445 as annual revenue for the year 2017 in Traffic fines.
In a statement issued yesterday by Zambia Police Spokesperson Esther Mwaata-Katongo, most of the accidents were attributed to excessive speed, misjudgment of clearance distance, failing to keep to the near side and overtaking improperly.
“During the year 2017, a total number of 30,163 Road Traffic Accidents were recorded throughout the country while in 2016, the country recorded a total number of 32,350 indicating a decrease of 2,187 accidents. Out of 30,163 accidents, 1,436 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 1,989 persons were killed, 3,017 were serious road traffic accidents in which 5,500 persons sustained serious injuries, 5,625 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 8,462 persons were slightly injured while 20,085 were damages only,” Katongo stated.
“When compared to the year 2016, the Country recorded a reduction in the number of fatalities in 2017 by 217, a reduction in persons seriously injured by 932 and a reduction in the number of persons slightly injured by six persons. Most of the accidents recorded in 2017 have been attributed to excessive speed at 14.9 per cent, misjudging clearance distance, 13.9 per cent, failing to keep to the near side at 13.0 per cent and overtaking improperly was at 5.3 per cent.”
And Katongo stated that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of accidents while Western Province recorded the lowest.
“Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of accidents at 15,977 where 474 persons were killed while Western Province recorded the lowest number at 546 with 61 persons killed. Copperbelt Province had 4874 reports with 434 persons killed, Central Province recorded 2066 with 316 persons killed, Southern Province had 1757 with 170 persons killed, Eastern Province recorded 1586 with 155 persons killed, North Western Province had 1322 with 82 persons killed, Muchinga Province had 730 with 106 persons killed, Luapula Province had 710 with 71 persons killed and Northern Province had 595 with 120 persons killed,” stated Katongo.
“Out of 1,989 persons killed in 2017, 203 were juveniles of which 123 were boys and 80 were girls, all below the age of 16 compared to 237 juveniles killed in 2016. Meanwhile, the Zambia Police Service collected a total of K40, 439,445 as annual revenue for 2017 in Traffic fines.”
