ROAD traffic accidents (RTAs) constitute a big problem in Zambia where they have been causing enormous human and material losses.
Accidents occur on the Zambian roads nearly every day, although it is true that the highest numbers are recorded during holidays, especially long weekends.
And the festive season we are celebrating is no exception. For this reason, road traffic police and Road Transport and Safety Agency officers step up their policing of major roads by mounting road blocks to check on contraveners of road traffic regulations.
These law-enforcement officers do so because they are well aware that during these periods, many people are likely to be affected by accidents, resulting into temporary and permanent injuries.
Other accident victims may not be so ‘lucky’, with just injuries, but end up losing their lives in the process.
It is not an exaggeration to say that victims of road traffic accidents everywhere in the world are more than those people who are killed in wars and terrorist operations, wherever these unfortunate incidents occur.
Where deaths occasioned by wars and terror acts are concerned, Zambia could be said to be lucky as these are non-existent here.
So the rate of fatalities from road traffic accidents could only be compared to other causes of death, especially natural causes such as illnesses.
What is sad, however, is that those injured or killed as a result of road traffic accidents are not only motorists but also pedestrians, including children.
The percentage of children, especially school-going young ones, seems to be higher as more of these people are exposed to injuries and deaths caused by traffic accidents on the Zambian roads.
In addition, road traffic accidents usually cause enormous damage to the public and private properties. Figures are not readily available as of now. However, millions of Kwacha in terms of damage to property is lost each year because of road traffic accidents.
In this vein, any measures by the law-enforcement officers intended to curb road traffic accidents are welcome.
And the revelation that police have this year recorded a reduction in the number of road traffic accidents throughout the country compared to last year during the Christmas holiday is more than welcome.
What is, however, worrying is the fact that despite the reduction in the number of accidents, police have recorded an increase in the number of fatalities compared to those that were recorded during the same period last year.
Police deputy spokesperson Rae Hamoonga is quoted as saying that major causes of accidents were improper overtaking, drivers failing to keep to the near side, speeding and improper crossing of roads by pedestrians.
For these reasons, it is our hope that drivers and pedestrians alike will continue to be sensitised on these and other shortcomings that are responsible for road traffic accidents.