Police spokesperson Esther Mwaata Katongo says police have recorded a slight increase in road traffic accidents in the third quarter of 2018, compared to the same period in 2017.

In a statement, Monday, Katongo revealed that 476 people died in 394 different road traffic accidents during the third quarter of this year.

“During the third quarter of 2018, a total number of 7,915 road traffic accidents were recorded compared to 7,832 road traffic accidents recorded in the third quarter of 2017. Out of the recorded accidents, 394 were fatal in which 476 persons were killed, 790 were serious injury road traffic accidents in which 1,443 persons were seriously injured, 1,517 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 2,170 persons were slightly injured while 5,214 were damages only road traffic accidents. In 2017 during the same period, 372 fatal road traffic accidents were recorded in which 497 persons died hence showing an increase in number of fatal road traffic accidents by 22 when compared to the third quarter of 2018. Despite recording an increase in the number of fatal road traffic accidents, there was a decrease in the number of persons killed by 21. There was also a decrease in the number of serious road traffic accidents by eight (08) while on the other hand statistics show an increase in the number of persons seriously injured by 418,” Katongo stated.

“There was also a decrease by 49 in the number of slight injury road traffic accidents compared to 2017 with an increase in the number of persons slightly injured by 71. The total number of casualties recorded in the third quarter of 2018 was 4,089 compared to 4,047 casualties recorded in 2017.”

She stated that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents.

“Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 4,220 road traffic accidents representing 53% of the total number of recorded accidents, followed by Copperbelt Province with 1,120 road traffic accidents translating to 14 % of the total number of accidents. Northern Province and Airports Division were the least with 131 and 34 road traffic accidents representing 16% and 0.4 % respectively. Out of 4,089 casualties in the third quarter of 2018, 394 were children under the age of 16 years out of which 221 were males while 173 were females compared to 2017 where 434 children were involved in road traffic accidents out of which 236 were males while 198 were females. In the third quarter of 2018, 51 children were killed, 141 were seriously injured and 202 were slightly injured compared to 65 killed, 145 seriously injured and 224 slightly injured during the same period of 2017 showing an increase in the number of casualties by 42,” she stated.

Katongo stated that most accidents were as a result of human error.

“A total number of 10,166 motor vehicles were involved in road traffic accidents in the third quarter of 2018 compared to 10, 849 during the same period of 2017 showing a decrease by 683.
Most of the accidents were as a result of human error where 16.5% of the recorded accidents which is 1,305 were as a result of over speeding, 1,054 accidents representing 13.3% were as a result of drivers failing to keep to their lane, 964 accidents representing 12.1% were as a result of drivers misjudging clearance distance while 774 representing 9.7% was as a result of cutting in. When compared to the same period in 2017, accidents caused as a result of excessive speed have increased by 1.1% while nothing much has changed in the other cited causes.
A total number of 35,451road traffic offences were recorded in which K11,183,763.00 was raised from Admission of Guilt fines in the third quarter of 2018 compared to K10,600,731.00 raised during the same period in 2017 from 39,334. This shows that road traffic offences have reduced by 3,883 while Admission of Guilt fine collection has increased by K583, 032.00,” stated Katongo.