THE Zambia police service says 17 persons were killed in 16 fatal road traffic accidents recorded during the 2021 Christmas holiday.

And the police have revealed that a total number of 152 Road Traffic Accidents were recorded throughout the country during the same period under review, a decline from the 234 road traffic accidents recorded in 2020.

In a statement Sunday, police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Copperbelt province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 54 followed by Lusaka with 50 while Western province did not record any road traffic accident.

“During the Christmas holiday of 2021 a total number of 152 Road Traffic Accidents were recorded throughout the Country. Out of 152 road traffic accidents, 16 were recorded as fatal road traffic accidents in which 17 persons were killed, 14 were serious road traffic accidents in which 19 persons were seriously injured, 28 were slight road traffic accidents in which 33 persons were slightly injured and 94 were recorded as damage only road traffic accidents,” he said.

“Copperbelt province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 54 followed by Lusaka with 50, Eastern 12, Southern eight, Central seven, North-Western and Luapula recorded six each ,Mchinga five, Northern three,Airport One and whilst Western province did not record any road traffic accident.”

Hamoonga said 14 serious road traffic accidents were recorded in which 19 persons were seriously injured in 2021.

“In comparison with the previous Christmas holiday of 2020, a total number of 234 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 152 recorded this year’s Christmas holiday which shows a reduction of 82 road traffic accidents. In the previous Christmas of 2020, 22 were recorded as fatal road traffic accidents in which 28 persons were killed compared to 16 fatal road traffic accidents recorded this year where 17 persons were killed. The figures indicate a reduction by six fatal road traffic accidents and 11 persons killed,” he said.

“Further, in the Christmas holiday of 2020, we recorded 26 serious road traffic accidents in which 33 persons were seriously injured as compared to 14 serious road traffic accidents where 19 persons were seriously injured in 2021. The figures still indicate a reduction of 12 serious road traffic accidents and 14 persons seriously injured. Lastly, 48 road traffic accidents were recorded as slight road traffic accidents in 2020 where 55 persons were slightly injured as compared to 28 slight road traffic accidents where 33 persons were slightly injured in 2021.”