Traffic council deploys 19 campaign teams

THE Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe has deployed 19 road traffic safety campaign teams along all the country’s major roads and highways as part of efforts to curb road carnage during the Easter holiday.

The move by TSCZ comes amid revelations that the country was losing more than $400 million annually on accident-related expenses.

TSCZ spokesperson Mr Tatenda Chinoda on Tuesday called on road users to try by all means to avoid road traffic accidents saying the days of “blame games” should be over.

He said in Masvingo province, traffic safety awareness teams were deployed along all four major roads, namely Masvingo-Mutare, Masvingo-Harare, Masvingo-Beitbridge and Masvingo-Bulawayo highways on Sunday.

Mr Chinoda said it was unacceptable that Zimbabwe continues to lose about $406 million through road traffic accidents every year.

TSCZ was fighting hard to reduce road carnage by more than 50 percent as the organisation gears to cut road traffic accidents on national roads to negligible levels.

“It is no longer a blame game when it comes to preventing road traffic accidents especially during holidays like this Easter. Our new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa calls for a combined effort,” said Mr Chinoda.

“As TSCZ, we have deployed 19 teams of four traffic peer educators, as we have always done during holidays. Research has told us that 50 percent of traffic road accidents are caused by speeding.

“We also lose $406 million through hospital bills, funeral expenses as a result of road accidents. It is against that background that we still work with our motto; ‘Slow down to save life and arrive alive’,” he said.

Passengers were also urged to be vigilant and exercise their rights over speeding drivers.

Mr Chinoda advised teenagers against taking their parents’ vehicles without permission as there was a growing trend of road traffic accidents happening as a result of unauthorised driving.

“We have noticed with regret that in remote areas, many young drivers do not own a valid driver’s licence, but they are seen driving at growth points.

“We do not tolerate that and police should be on the lookout for such people.

“We have some unscrupulous members of the uniformed forces who may drive without a driver’s licence and tend to use their job cards — that should stop forthwith as it is dangerous.”

He hailed Government for filling potholes along major highways, but challenged motorists to complement such noble efforts through driving safely.

Last year’s Easter holiday was one the bloodiest in years after 17 people were killed, while 78 others were injured in 120 separates road traffic accidents.

Police said nine people were killed while 43 were injured in 140 accidents that occurred during the same period in the previous year.