By Scoop Reporter
ZAMBIA has recorded a decrease in road traffic accidents during the second quarter of 2020 compared to what was recorded in the same quarter in 2019 due to the insurgence of COVID-19 which limited movements.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo says 275 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 332 persons were killed, 565 were serious road traffic accidents in which 1,016 persons were seriously injured, and 1,284 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 1,770 persons were slightly injured while 4,019 were recorded as damages only road traffic accidents.
“The decrease in road traffic accidents in the second quarter of 2020 as compared to that of 2019 can be attributed to among other factors limited movement as a result of COVID – 19.
“Police also observed increased levels of compliance by road users especially the motorists and pedestrians. Further, the Zambia Police Service has intensified patrols and placement of speed trap cameras in strategic areas, major roads and accident prone areas to reduce road traffic accidents,” Ms. Katongo said.
She says Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 3,212 followed by Copperbelt with 1,121 whilst Western and Northern Provinces recorded the least with 130 and 125 road traffic accidents respectively.
“During the second quarter of 2019, 7,687 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 6,143 road traffic accidents recorded in the second quarter of 2020. The figures show a decrease by 1,544 road traffic accidents.
“387 road traffic accidents were recorded as fatal in which 458 persons were killed in the second quarter of 2019 as compared to 275 fatal road traffic accidents where 332 persons were killed in the 2020 second quarter. The figure shows a decrease in both fatal road traffic accidents and persons killed by 112 and 126 respectively,” Ms. Katongo said.
She says in the second quarter of 2019, 775 serious road traffic accidents were recorded in which 1,313 persons were seriously injured as compared to 565 serious road traffic accidents where 1,016 persons were seriously injured in the second quarter of 2020.The figures still show a decrease in serious road traffic accidents and in persons injured by 210 and 297.
She says 1,348 were slight injury road traffic accidents in which 2,046 persons were slightly injured as compared to 1,284 slight road traffic accidents where 1,770 persons were slightly injured in the second quarter of 2020.
She says most of the accidents in the second quarter of 2020 were attributed to human error as excessive speed accounted for 963 representing 15.7 percent with misjudging clearance distance accounting for 874 and representing 14.2 percent.
She says failing to keep to nearside accounted for 846, representing 13.8 percent. Others are cutting in which accounted for 516, representing 8.3 percent while reversing negligently accounted for 433, representing 7.0 percent.
