Over 360 bus drivers arrested for speeding
MORE than 360 bus drivers were arrested this month for violating road regulations after they were caught driving above stipulated speed limits.
“In a concerted effort to enforce road regulations and enhance public safety, law-enforcement authorities have arrested at least 368 bus drivers during this month alone for speeding,” said police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
“Most of the arrests were made during the festive season holidays and we continue to urge bus drivers to respect the sanctity of life and their passengers.”
Public transport operators have until tomorrow to comply with a recent Government directive mandating all public service vehicles, including buses, to be equipped with speed-limiting and monitoring devices.
The speed tracking system, which aligns with Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023, restricts the maximum speed of buses to 100km/h on open roads.
To facilitate effective monitoring, bus operators and the police established a dedicated monitoring centre at Harare Central Police Station.
The speed tracking centre enables the authorities to closely monitor the adherence of drivers to the prescribed speed limits and other road regulations.
Bus operators under the Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation (ZPTO) said the speed tracking system had led to a substantial increase in the number of fines imposed on drivers for speeding.
ZPTO chairperson Mr Sam Nhanhanga said they are encouraging all public transport operators to comply with the new regulations.
“Bus operators are required to comply with this directive by January 1 by ensuring installation of the necessary speed limiting and monitoring devices on their vehicles,” he said.
“The tracking system has helped reduce the number of accidents. But we need to do more; we have operators who have not submitted their fleet and tracking numbers. The police must help us to enforce that. As bus operators, we have been disciplining our drivers internally.”
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) managing director Mr Munesu Munodawafa urged bus drivers to exercise caution and avoid speeding.
He said the TSCZ has since intensified its road safety awareness campaigns.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Let us all preserve life,” he said.
Last week, Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said police must account for those violating road rules.
His remarks came in the wake of a horror crash involving a bus, a haulage truck and a Mercedes Benz vehicle that killed five people on the Harare-Mutare Highway last week.