Eighty-seven people lost their lives during this year’s festive season, a drop from 102 that were recorded during the same period last year, National Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has announced.
2023 recorded a total of 1 194 road traffic accidents, 60 of which were fatal, compared to 2022 which had a total of 1 480 accidents, with 71 being fatal.
In those accidents, 87 people lost their lives in the accidents as compared to 102 from 2022.
Nyathi said the statistics include road accidents recorded on Unity Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
“On Unity Day, 22 December 2023, 125 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which five were fatal with five people being killed while 24 others were injured, compared to 124 road traffic accidents with two fatal, two deaths and 18 people injured in the year 2022,” he said.
“On Christmas day, 25th December 2023, 71 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide of which seven were fatal, killing eight people and injuring 78 people. In the same period in 2022, 133 road traffic accidents were recorded with 12 were fatal, 20 deaths and 48 people injured.”
He noted that on Boxing Day, 26 December 2023, 82 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide in which nine people were killed in fatal, nine fatal road traffic accidents while 36 others were injured.
In 2022, 99 road traffic accidents were recorded which include eight (08) fatal which killed eight people and injured 32 others.
He said most of the road traffic accidents occurred on highways as a result of speeding, inattention, overtaking errors, overloading, misjudgement, following too close and recklessness on the part of drivers.
