By Spanyoge Madziwa
Zimbabwe has of late been plagued by fatal accidents mainly involving public transporters. A number of lives have been lost involving long distance buses and commuter omnibuses.
Statistics from the Traffic Safety Council (TSC) of Zimbabwe show that close to six traffic accidents are recorded every hour.
This is not something to be proud of.
Recently I decided to take a short break along Bulawayo road just after Kadoma heading to Chegutu, and pulled into a lay-by. As I was seated by the benches at the layby I noticed a bus which was Zvishavane bound via Gweru. I was shocked to see that the driver was controlling the steering wheel with his left hand while his right was holding a mobile phone.
He was cruising at approximately above 60km/hr. This grabbed my attention to the point that I had to wait at the lay-by a bit longer to observe how other bus drivers were driving.
In about seven minutes’ time, another bus headed for Bulawayo passed by. I gazed at the driver and noticed that he was using his phone while driving.
It got me thinking on the high accidents rates in Zimbabwe involving public transport buses. Surely, this was a pointer that human error is a huge factor contributing to road carnage.
That the two drivers were driving while operating their mobile phones is a cause for concern. In case of an accident or an emergency, there is minimum control of the bus by these rogue drivers. Our laws are strict and clear on driving while using mobile phones.
Bus operators and commuter omnibus operators have a huge role to play.
They must enforce rules to bar drivers from using mobile phones while behind the wheel. Installing real time dash cameras is another way of reducing such behavior.
In case of an accident, transport operators should refer to dash cameras to assess causes. Harsh penalties must be imposed on offenders. Some of the punishment must include immediate dismissal from work without compensation.
Many lives are lost on the roads resulting in high number of orphans and a loss of the much needed human capital. Just this Wednesday, one person died while 18 others were left injured after a Harare bound-Bolt Cutter bus rammed into a truck near Karoi, according to press reports.
This is not the first time that the bus company has been involved in fatal accidents.
In 2018, 49 people died on the spot after a Bolt Cutter bus collided with Smart Express coach just outside Rusape. This was the second most fatal bus disaster in the history of the country from a bus crash since the Nyanga Bus Disaster of August 1991 that killed 89 people.
In Mutare, the whole community was left shocked 12 school children were injured after a school bus driver tried to beat a train at a rail crossing in July this year.
Passengers have a huge role to play in avoiding road carnage by reporting drivers who are glued on their mobile phones while driving. The advent of social media has made it easier to communicate in real time sharing pictures and videos. This can help identify perpetrators and evidence can be used against them.
A driver’s valid licence, re-test certificate, bus fitness certificate and defense driving certificate must be mandatory for each and every bus. The Rusape fatal bus crash is an example on the need for the above mentioned certificates to be in place before a bus leaves its depot to ferry commuters.
The government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development must be commended for coming up with the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP) to repair the country’s roads.
Our roads are seeing upgrades making it easier for drivers to navigate. However, the recent surge in road carnage can be attributed to poor driving and speeding.
In May this year, the government, in response to increases RTA involving public transporters, issued Statutory Instrument 188 of 2023 which makes it mandatory that all public service vehicles like buses to be fitted with speed limiters. However, implementation of this directive is problematic because of technological challenges.
The government is working on establishing a Road Accident Fund expected to provide insurance to victims of Road Traffic Accidents (RTA). This is commendable and we hope the process will be finalized soon.
*Banner Image: A picture of a Bolt Cutter bus that was involved in an accident near Karoi town on Wednesday. (Picture sourced online)