The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reported 27 road accident fatalities during the Easter holiday, a slight decrease from the 29 deaths recorded in the same period last year.
While the overall number of accidents also dipped slightly (286 in 2024 compared to 288 in 2023), speeding, inattention, and reckless manoeuvres continue to be major causes of concern.
“There is a need for a total change of mindset when it comes to road safety during holidays,” national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi emphasised in a statement.
He urged motorists to avoid speeding and dangerous overtaking, particularly during busy holiday periods.
Most of the accidents involved private vehicles and pedestrians.
One such incident involved a yet-to-be-identified man struck and killed by a Honda Fit vehicle on Percy Iboston Road near the Cowdray Park rail crossing in Bulawayo on March 30th, 2024.
Another involved a yet-to-be-identified woman struck by a Nissan NV 350 vehicle while crossing Seke Road near Delport Road on March 29, 2024.
On March 29, 2024, at the 302-kilometer peg along the Harare-Chirundu Road, an Andile Coaches bus carrying 19 passengers veered off the road, overturned, and landed on its roof, injuring 14 people.
On Easter Monday, a Passion Link Coaches bus carrying 72 passengers veered off the road and overturned on its roof at the 119-kilometer peg along the Mutare-Masvingo Road, injuring 62 people.
