The 2025 festive season has been marred by a devastating surge in road traffic accidents, with 2 412 incidents resulting in 100 fatalities and 471 injuries, significantly higher than the previous year, according to official statistics from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
The figures reveal a national crisis on the roads, largely driven by reckless driver behaviour and fatal vehicle defects.
In a press statement, National Police Spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi said from December 15 to 26, 2025, the ZRP reported a staggering increase in accidents.
A total of 2 412 road traffic accidents were recorded, a shocking 100 percent increase from the 1 211 incidents during the same 12-day period in 2024.
The human cost of this surge is profound as fatal accidents rose from 65 in 2024 to 87 in 2025.
The number of people killed climbed from 77 to 100, while injuries increased from 401 to 471.
An analysis of the 100 fatalities by road user group highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians and passengers.
Passengers bore the brunt of the deaths, with 44 killed.
Pedestrians were the second-largest group, with 37 lives lost. Drivers accounted for 10 deaths, while riders, cyclists and scotch cart users made up the remainder.
“The number of pedestrians killed during the period is disturbing,” the police statement noted.
“It is also sad to note that some pedestrians were struck by vehicles while walking on the road with cellphones plugged on earphones and listening to music.”
The most catastrophic single incident occurred on December 17 along the Harare-Nyamapanda Road near Suswe. A Honda Fit carrying ten occupants was involved in a head-on collision with a haulage truck, resulting in the death of all ten people in the smaller vehicle.
The ZRP’s preliminary analysis points to recurring, preventable causes.
“Most of the accidents involved head-on collisions, which were mainly due to vehicles encroaching onto lanes of oncoming traffic or engaging in dangerous overtaking manoeuvres,” the report stated.
“These actions demonstrate poor judgement, disregard for traffic regulations and failure to observe road markings.”
Excessive speeding was identified as a primary contributor, often leading to a loss of control.
“Several incidents involved vehicles veering off the road, overturning, or colliding with trees or fixed objects… suggesting that drivers were travelling at speeds beyond their ability to safely control their vehicles, a risk often worsened by fatigue or inattention.”
Alarmingly, vehicle condition, specifically tyre failure, emerged as a major killer.
“The analysis further shows that tyre bursts were a major contributing factor in a number of the fatal road traffic accidents, particularly those involving public service vehicles such as Toyota Hiace kombis,” the police reported.
This trend was attributed to “poor vehicle maintenance, the use of worn-out or substandard tyres, overloading and failure to conduct routine vehicle inspections before embarking on journeys.”
Overloading itself was cited as a significant risk factor that compromises vehicle stability and control.
In a rare note of respite amidst the grim data, the ZRP reported that “no major road traffic accident involving public service vehicles was recorded during the period,” suggesting that formal buses and coaches may have had a safer season despite the issues with kombis.
With the New Year holiday approaching, the police urged “motorists to strictly adhere to road rules and regulations. We call on drivers to act responsibly and be exemplary on the roads to safeguard lives.”
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