Malawi Police Service has reported a 58 percent increase in road accidents during this year’s Christmas and Boxing Day holidays, which left nine dead and 36 others injured. National Police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo said in a statement on Saturday that 30 accidents occurred during the festive period, up from 19 recorded over the same period last year. But he said despite an increase in the number of accidents, fatal ones dropped by 55 percent while deaths declined by 31 percent compared to last year when 13 people died.
He said minor accidents rose sharply to 16, resulting in 36 slight injuries compared to five minor accidents that left 21 people injured last year. Said Chimtembo: “Regionally, the Central Region recorded two fatal accidents resulting in six deaths, the Northern Region registered two fatal accidents with two deaths, while the Southern Region recorded one fatal accident and one death.” He attributed most of the accidents to human error, including speeding, reckless driving and fatigue. “While the reduction in fatalities is noted, every life lost remains a profound concern,” said Chimtembo.
He said police will continue enforcing traffic laws throughout the festive season. “Police will continue to rigorously enforce laws against speeding and drink-driving. Drivers and riders are advised to exercise due care and consideration for other road users as we remain committed to protecting lives and property on our roads,” said Chimtembo.
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Meanwhile, Road Safety Alert Foundation (Rosaf) executive director Joel Jere said in an interview that reducing accidents requires collective effort beyond the festive season. He said behaviour change and adherence to road signs, particularly speed limits, are key to improving road safety. “Most of the accidents recorded during this Christmas period were preventable.
Road users need to pay attention and follow safety rules,” said Jere. He said many drivers ignore speed limit signs in a rush to reach their destinations, in the process increasing the risk of crashes. In Malawi, the speed limit on city roads and most trading centres is 60 kilometres per hour (kph) while the maximum speed on main roads is pegged at 100kph for small vehicles and 80-90 kph for buses and trucks.
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