ROAD traffic accidents continue to rob Zambia of human resources whose lives are curtailed before fulfilling their dreams.
Much as all accidents are just as devastating, those involving public buses can be said to be worse off as so many lives are lost at once.
A bus travelling to Mwinilunga from Solwezi overturned yesterday killing many passages and injuring others.
The accident happened when the driver failed to negotiate a curve and overturned, leaving passengers trapped under the wreckage.
Our hearts go out to the bereaved families and we urge other citizens to reflect on measures that would help avoid such accidents.
In 2012 more than 50 passengers died on the Zampost bus in Chibombo while last year, 17 passengers on a Toyota Hiace Mini bus died in Chisamba. Another 30 were injured when a Marcopolo bus overturned in Katuba.
Zambia is still in grief!
The situation was the same when two people died after a 76- sitter bus overturned in Serenje while 50 others  were injured in Kafue at Chikoswe area in another accident, and  four people died when a bus hit into a tanker in Chibombo recently.
In another road carnage, 11 members of the same family died on Ndola-Kapiri Road and 14 passengers died when a Marcopolo bus plunged into Luangwa River on the Great East Road last year.
It is unfortunate that the nation has continued to lose countless  lives through horrific accidents because of mistakes that could be avoided on our roads.
A number of factors have been cited as causes of such accidents, among them over-loading, speeding, mechanical failure, fatigue and in some cases drivers’ carelessness.
Apart from the drivers who take the blame, authorities tasked with the responsibility of managing traffic, get a portion of that blame.
Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) is the body with the chore duty of ensuring that motor vehicles plying Zambian roads are road-worthy and at the same time ensuring that those who drive the vehicles are competent.
Much as RTSA is expected to monitor the roads and drivers, it should be the responsibility of every road user to secure his or her life by adhering to road safety rules.
No matter the angle of blame games each time an accident happens, lives lost at such moments can never be restored.
There is therefore, need for sanity on the roads and this should be the responsibility of all Zambians.
To this effect, we urge motorists and other road users to strictly abide by the road rules to prevent accidents and loss of lives.