Harare – Zimbabwe’s roads continue to claim lives at an alarming rate, with at least 15 people killed in four separate road accidents last Friday alone. The tragedies occurred along the Harare-Bulawayo and Harare-Mutare highways, adding to the already grim statistics of road fatalities in the country.
Police confirmed the accidents, which took place in Norton, Chegutu, and Mutare. The first accident, a particularly devastating incident, claimed the lives of seven people and injured 12 others. The accident occurred at the 30km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo highway when a Nissan Caravan, carrying 20 passengers, veered off the road and overturned. Three adults and an infant died at the scene, while three others succumbed to their injuries upon admission to Norton Hospital.
Tragedy struck again on the same highway, at the 85km peg, where three people were killed and two others injured. This accident involved a collision between a Chevrolet Trailblazer, carrying five passengers, and a Toyota Hilux, carrying seven passengers. The head-on collision resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries, highlighting the dangers of reckless driving and speeding.
In Chegutu, two people lost their lives and nine others were injured when a Toyota Toyoace truck, carrying 11 passengers, veered off the road. The impact of the accident caused all the passengers to be thrown from the vehicle, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities.
The Harare-Mutare road also witnessed a fatal accident when a Volvo haulage truck, carrying three passengers, veered off the road and overturned near the Wise Owl turn-off. The truck landed on its roof, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants.
These accidents underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and increased awareness campaigns to promote road safety. The loss of 15 lives in a single day is a stark reminder of the human cost of road accidents and the devastating impact on families and communities.
The recent accidents add to the already alarming statistics of road fatalities in Zimbabwe. Officials from the Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry recently revealed to a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee that road traffic accidents claimed 2,015 lives last year in 52,288 accidents, prompting calls for stern measures to halt the ongoing road carnage.
The report, which analysed data from 2010 to 2024, revealed an upward trend in road fatalities, with the 2,015 deaths recorded in 2024 representing one of the highest death tolls in recent years. The number of accidents recorded in 2024 also showed an increase compared to previous years, with 51,924 accidents recorded in 2023, claiming 2,099 lives and injuring 9,955 people. In 2022, there were 51,107 accidents, resulting in 2,064 deaths and 10,401 injuries.
Interestingly, the report indicated that Zimbabwe recorded fewer accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 45,791 and 35,560 accidents recorded in 2021 and 2020, respectively. However, even during the pandemic, the accidents claimed a significant number of lives, with 1,902 deaths in 2021 and 1,520 deaths in 2020.
The report attributed the majority of accidents to human error, including speeding, reckless driving, and failure to adhere to traffic regulations. “Road carnage has emerged as a critical public safety crisis in Zimbabwe, marked by disturbingly high statistics that reflect the growing toll of traffic-related accidents on human lives and the economy,” the report stated.
The report also highlighted the significant economic costs associated with road accidents, including healthcare expenditure for treating accident victims, loss of productivity due to injury or death, and the emotional and financial burden placed on victims’ families.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry has introduced several regulatory initiatives aimed at curbing road traffic accidents. These initiatives include Statutory Instrument (SI) 118 of 2023, which makes the installation of speed limiting and monitoring devices mandatory in all public service vehicles, effective January 1, 2023. The ministry believes that these speed limiting devices, which cap the maximum speed at 100km/hour, will significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents by ensuring that vehicles are operated within safe speed parameters.
