The Transport and Infrastructural Development minister is set to conduct road safety campaigns and road shows ahead of the festive season.
Minister Felix Mhona said this in Parliament recently, highlighting the need to educate drivers on road safety.
Mhona was responding to concerns raised by parliamentarian, Sipho Mlotshwa, about the surge in accidents during the festive season.
“As a ministry, you will see us as we launch the festive season campaign. Usually, it starts on the 15th of December, 2024 up to the 15th of January, 2025 but before that, you are going to be seeing us doing road shows, also through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“As a ministry, we have other initiatives of trying to educate motorists and those who are using our roads that as much as we undertake a journey, we must make sure that we safeguard those who are also using the roads.
“According to a recent survey that was conducted in this country, we are losing an average of five precious lives per day and this is quite a disturbing number.”
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The ministry has been raising awareness in various parts of the country, through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, educating motorists, the motoring public and even citizens.
“We have witnessed some drivers who are driving under the influence of drugs and substances and they have been increasing,” Mhona said.
“We have also witnessed that a number of these drivers are driving public service vehicles.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Passengers Association secretary-general Paul Makiwa said his association was conducting awareness campaigns with the hope of reducing road accidents.
“It is not just public service vehicle drivers but all drivers that should follow the rules of the road. Drivers should not exceed the speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour.
“When one exceeds this speed limit, you will notice that in the event of an accident, the damage is greater than that of those who would have been driving slower,” he said.
Makiwa advised drivers to be road safety conscious during the festive season by avoiding drinking and taking drugs when operating motor vehicles.