THE Zambia Police Service says a total of 7,401 road traffic accidents were recorded during the first quarter of this year.
In a statement, Monday, Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said of the 7,401 recorded traffic accidents, 362 were fatal in which 405 people were killed.
“During the first quarter of 2021, a total number of 7,401 road traffic accidents were recorded of which 362 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 405 persons were killed; 651 were serious road traffic accidents in which 1,004 persons were seriously injured; 1,393 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 2,008 persons were slightly injured; and 4,995 were recorded as damage only road traffic accidents,” she said.
Katongo further stated that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents, followed by Copperbelt.
“Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 4,146 and 122 deaths followed by Copperbelt which recorded 1,268 road traffic accidents with 71 deaths. Central Province had 556 road traffic accidents with 57 deaths, Southern had 341 road traffic accidents with 33 deaths, North- Western had 260 road traffic accidents and 17 deaths. Eastern Province had 215 road traffic accidents with 25 deaths, Western with 195 road traffic accidents with 16 deaths, Luapula Province had 174 road traffic accidents with 27 deaths, Northern Province recorded 134 road traffic Accidents with 23 deaths while Muchinga Province recorded 112 Road Traffic Accidents and 14 deaths,” she said.
And Katongo said there was an increase in road traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2021 by 796, compared to 2020.
“In the first quarter 2020, 6,605 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 7,401 road traffic accident recorded this quarter of 2021. The figures show an increase by 796 road traffic accidents. Two hundred and ninety six (296) road traffic accidents were recorded as fatal road traffic accidents in which 414 persons were killed in the first quarter of 2020 as compared to 362 fatal road traffic accidents where 405 persons were killed in the quarter of 2021. The figures show an increase in fatal road traffic accidents by 66 and a slight decrease in persons killed by nine,” she stated.
“In the same quarter of 2020, a total number of 595 were recorded as serious road traffic accidents in which 1,046 persons were seriously injured as compared to 651 serious road traffic accidents where 1,004 persons were seriously injured in 2021. The figures show an increase in serious road traffic accidents by 56 and a decrease in persons seriously injured by 42.A total number of 1,331 slight road traffic accidents in which 1,820 persons were slightly injured were recorded in 2020 as compared to 1,393 slight road traffic accidents where 2,008 persons were slightly injured in the first quarter of 2021. There is an increase in both slight road traffic accidents and in persons slightly injured by 62 and 188 respectively.”
She attributed most of the accidents in the first quarter of this year to human error.
“On damages only road traffic accidents, 4,383 were recorded in the first quarter 2020 as compared to 4,995 recorded in the same quarter of 2021. The records still show an increase by 612 damages Only road traffic accidents. Twenty Eight thousand, one hundred and ninety one (28,191) road traffic offences were recorded in the first quarter of 2020 and K 17,428,678.00 was raised in admission of guilt fines. Most of the accidents in the first quarter of 2021 were attributed to human error as follows; excessive speed 1074 representing 14 percent, misjudging clearance distance 1018 representing 13.8 percent; failing to keep to near side 1017 representing 13.7 percent; cutting in 577 representing 7.7 percent; pedestrian crossing the road 465 representing 6.2 percent. There was an increase in road traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to the first quarter of 2020 due to increased volume of traffic and low compliance to road traffic rules and regulations by motorists, cyclists and pedestrians,” stated Katongo.
