Harare, Zimbabwe – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reported a notable decrease in road accidents this festive season compared to last year. Between December 15th and 26th, 1,194 road accidents occurred, resulting in 87 deaths and 424 injuries, a slight improvement from 2022.
ZRP spokesperson Paul Nyathi highlighted the primary causes of these accidents as speeding, inattention, and reckless driving, among others. Despite the grim statistics, there was a reduction in accident numbers compared to the previous year.
Key dates showed varied trends. On Unity Day, December 22, 2023, 125 road accidents were recorded, with five fatalities. This is slightly up from 2022’s figures for the same day. Christmas Day saw 71 accidents with seven fatalities, a decrease from 133 accidents in 2022. On Boxing Day, the number of accidents dropped to 82 from 99 in 2022, with nine fatalities.
A major accident on December 27th along the Harare-Mutare road resulted in five deaths and 40 injuries, underscoring ongoing road safety challenges.
The ZRP continues to urge drivers to exercise caution and adhere to road safety rules to prevent further tragedies.”