HARARE
–
A
total
of
77
people
lost
their
lives
in
road
traffic
accidents
recorded
in
different
parts
of
the
country
between
December
15
and
Boxing
Day
this
year,
police
have
said.
According
to
a
statement
by
police
spokesperson
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
on
Friday,
there
were
1,211
road
traffic
accidents
recorded
in
the
period,
with
65
of
them
resulting
in
death.
Police
said
411
people
were
also
injured
from
the
accidents.
The
number
of
deaths
is
a
slight
increase
compared
to
the
same
period
last
year
in
which
71
people
were
killed.
Of
the
road
accidents
experienced
this
festive
period,
police
said,
106
were
recorded
on
22
December,
with
seven
people
killed
on
the
day
while
38
were
injured.
On
Christmas
Day,
police
added,
104
road
traffic
accidents
were
recorded
with
13
people
being
killed
and
16
injured.
On
26
December,
87
road
traffic
accidents
were
recorded
with
11
people
killed
while
40
were
injured.
Nyathi
attributed
most
of
the
fatal
accidents
to
fatigue
and
negligence
by
private
vehicle
drivers.
“The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
has
established
that,
some
accidents
are
caused
by
fatigue
and
negligent
conduct
on
the
part
of
drivers,”
he
said.
Nyathi
said
most
road
traffic
accidents
involved
private
vehicles
in
which
either
drivers
or
passengers
perished.
“The
only
major
road
traffic
accident
involving
public
service
vehicles
was
recorded
on
22nd
December
2024
where
three
buses
collided
and
two
people
died.
Police
said
accidents
involving
pedestrians
trying
to
cross
the
roads
have
also
been
recorded.
“Drivers
are
urged
to
be
observant
especially
when
approaching
built-up
areas
or
places
frequented
by
the
public
including
residential
areas.
“Meanwhile,
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
reiterates
that
drivers
should
avoid
speeding
and
overtaking
in
circumstances
that
are
clearly
not
safe
to
do
so.
Above
all,
motorists
are
implored
not
to
overload
vehicles
when
travelling
on
the
country’s
roads,”
said
Nyathi.