Road fatalities increase to 213 during farmer’s holiday

By Staff Reporter

A total number of 213 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide during the last long weekend compared to 2017’s recorded 190 fatalities and incidents.

Zambia Police Public Relations Officer Esther Mwaata Katongo in a statement said, out of the recorded accidents, 22 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 25 persons died.

Katongo further said 15 were serious injury accidents in which 24 people were seriously injured while 45 were classified as slight injury accidents in which 54 persons sustained minor injuries. 131 were damage only accidents.

“Comparing to 2017 during the same period, 190 road traffic accidents were recorded out of which seven (07) were fatal road traffic accidents in which 13 persons were killed, 12 were serious road traffic accidents in which 58 persons were seriously injured indicating an increase by 03 serious road traffic accidents and a decrease in casualties by 34. A total number of casualties reduced this year as 103 casualties were recorded compared to 127 casualties last year during the same period,” said Katongo.

“Lusaka had 97 accidents in which six (06) people died, Central Province had 33 road traffic accidents with eight (08) deaths, Copperbelt had 27 with two (02) deaths, Eastern Province had 17 road traffic accidents with four (04) deaths , Southern Province had 13 road traffic accidents with two (02) deaths, North Western Province had 11 road traffic accidents with one (01) death, Muchinga Province had seven accidents with one (01) death while Western and Northern Provinces had one (01) accident each with no death recorded,” she said.