Road accidents claim 4 000 lives in four years

Malawi has lost over 4 000 people in 3 480 fatal road accidents in the last four years, as authorities say the number of fatal road accidents keep on increasing each year.

Speaking during the Africa Road Safety Day commemorations in Karonga yesterday, head of the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS) Francia Fergus Gondwe said between January and August last year, 699 people died in road accidents while in the same period this year, the number has increased to 708.

“It is also worrisome to note that the people aged between 25 and 44 years are being killed most and this is the economic active group,” he said.

Gondwe said analysis has shown that in Malawi, most of these accidents are caused due to overspeeding as well as careless overtaking.

In 2017, he said overspeeding and careless overtaking alone caused 47.57 percent of the total accidents.  In terms of fatal accidents, he said overspeeding and careless overtaking contributed to 66.55 percent.

“This is very serious considering that these accidents are preventable. Other factors to the increased road traffic accidents in Malawi include drink driving, fatigue or distracted driving (use of mobile devices), careless crossing of the road, and careless cycling.

“All these factors are part of the bad behavior that we have on our roads specifically drivers, cyclists and Pedestrians,” he said.

Gondwe said the commemorations were themed ‘Promoting Road Safety through Behavioural Change’ to change people’s behaviour in line with pillar number four of the Global Decade of Action on Road Safety (2011-2020), which emphasises on ‘safer road users’.

Among other interventions, Gondwe said the directorate will be implementing initiatives aimed at improving road user behaviour. He said these programms are targeting pedestrians, drivers, passengers and also owners of motor vehicles.

According to Gondwe, the planned programmes include shifting from spot fines to electronic enforcement, increased awareness programmes, traffic law enforcement through increased visibility of traffic officers and also various training programmes for drivers and vehicle owners, specifically owners of goods and passenger vehicles.

He said the directorate has also recruited 80 members of staff stationed in all regions, working in the sections of Traffic Management, Vehicle Load Control, Road Safety Awareness and Traffic Law enforcement with support from the World Bank

He said the directorate has also acquired 10 motor vehicles targeting various roads, including the M1 road for Traffic Law enforcement.

“We are also procuring 10 speed guns, 13 breathlysers and 100 additional personal digital assistants, among other equipment that is aimed at changing people’s bad behaviours,” he said.

On accusations of corrupt practices that frustrate the enforcement of the law, Gondwe urged Malawians to report any suspicions of corruption to relevant authorities.

In her remarks, Ministry of Transport and Public Works director of administration Scholastica Chidyaonga said her ministry is in the process of upgrading roads to reduce the risk of accidents.

She acknowledged that some accidents are a result of poor road network.

Guest of honour at the event, Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi said Malawi loses 1 333 people every year to road accidents.

“It is incumbent upon government to ensure that the directorate and Malawi Police Service come together to remind Malawians on the need to observe basic road traffic rules for their safety,” he said.

The commemoration is done as part of an African Union (AU)  initiative towards accident mitigation and reduction in Africa through raising awareness on road safety issues among communities and stakeholders as well as encouraging and involving them in prevention activities to reduce traffic related injuries and deaths.

Worldwide, traffic accidents claim 1.25 million people and injuring 50 million annually.  n