The Zimbabwean government should take drastic action to reduce the number of road accidents amid indications that the country’s roads claim at least five lives a day, according to a UN report published on Wednesday.
Quoting Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe figures, the United Nations Road Safety Performance Review of Zimbabwe said the southern African country’s road crash fatality rate increased from 1,836 in 2016 to an average of 2,000 deaths per year in 2019 – over five deaths per day.
It, however, noted that in reality, this figure may be over three times higher at some 7,000 road deaths per year, according to World Health Organisation estimates that also account for victims who die on the way, in hospital or after discharge.
It warned that the annual crash death rate is expected to triple in the next 10 years unless there is concerted action and significantly increased commitment by all stakeholders.
To address this national crisis and key development concern, the review provides the government with targeted recommendations for decisive action.
“With the second United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 underway, Zimbabwe has the opportunity to head in the right direction to achieve the goal of halving road traffic crash fatalities and injuries by 2030,” UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt said.
He added: “With increased political and financial commitments from all stakeholders, the country can turn this situation around, guided by the recommendations of this review.”
He called on the Zimbabwean government “to become contracting party to and fully implement the seven core United Nations Conventions on road safety, the African Road Safety Charter, and the African Pan African Trans-Highway Agreement.”
According to the Zimbabwe Road Conditions and Inventory Report in 2017, unsafe road infrastructure is a major issue, with 70 percent of the total road network in poor to mediocre condition, and merely 25 percent in good to very good condition.
Furthermore, the increase of 77 percent in the number of vehicles from 2010 to 2019 has not been accompanied by any meaningful road upgrade or maintenance of existing road infrastructure since independence in 1980.
The review therefore recommends the adoption of a roads and maintenance improvement programme.
JN/APA