THE Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry has called on Parliament to support a road accident fund to compensate people involved in accidents on the country’s roads.
Speaking in the National Assembly last Thursday, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona (pictured) said there was need to support road users in Zimbabwe.
He presented a few measures to halt road carnage, where he said assessing the impact of the accident was very important.
“Post-crash management is also another crucial pillar. We will achieve this through establishment of the road accident fund, which provides for compulsory cover to all users of roads in Zimbabwe against injuries sustained or death arising from accidents involving motor vehicles within the borders of Zimbabwe,” Mhona said.
“I will soon table in Cabinet principles relating to the road accident fund. This cover is in the form of indemnity insurance to persons who cause the accident as well as personal injury and death insurance to victims of motor vehicle accidents and their families.
“The road accident fund shall be responsible for providing appropriate cover to all road users within the borders of Zimbabwe, rehabilitating and compensating persons injured as a result of motor vehicles in a timely and caring manner.”
This comes after a spike in the number of accidents in the month of June, which Mhona noted.
“It is true that the rate at which we are experiencing road traffic crashes is alarming, especially along our highways. The series of accidents we witnessed last month are a cause for concern,” Mhona said.
The road accident fund shall provide for two types of cover, namely personal insurance cover to accident victims or their families and indemnity cover to wrongdoers.
“Once Cabinet approves our proposals, we count on this august House to render support and expedite enactment of the law establishing the fund,” he said.