By CHUSA SICHONE –
TWENTY-SIX people died in 310 road traffic accidents recorded countrywide during the Heroes and Unity holidays.
The number of deaths recorded during this year’s Heroes and Unity holidays has reduced by 21 as 47 people died in the same period last year in 282 road traffic accidents.
Zambia Police spokesperson Esther Katongo, who confirmed this in a statement yesterday, said the 26 deaths were recorded between July 1 and July 4, 2017 and that 56 people sustained serious injuries
compared to 75 cases in 2016.
Ms Katongo said 82 people sustained slight injuries this year as compared to 85 last year.
“Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents, followed by Copperbelt and Central Province respectively, while Western Province recorded the least number of accidents,” she said.
Ms Katongo said the general picture indicated that there had been a decrease in the number of casualties.
She attributed the decrease in the number of casualties to regulatory measures the Government put in place like Statutory Instrument Number 76 of the Laws of Zambia which restricted Public Service Motor vehicles to be driven in the night.
Ms Katongo said the other contributing factor was the operations that traffic police and Road Transport and Safety Agency officers conducted during the holiday period countrywide.
