Year after year, Zimbabwe’s Easter road-crash statistics leave a lot to be desired. Holidaymakers take advantage of the extra-long weekends, adding to the many cars, trucks and buses going about their usual business, which means that there is an increase in traffic on the country’s national roads. During the most recent December-January festive season, the road death toll alone topped just over hundreds of fatalities. It’s therefore up to all those who find themselves behind the wheel to do their bit in the interests of road safety and not become another statistic…
While this year’s Easter period doesn’t coincide with government school holidays, traffic volumes on the country’s main roads are expected to pick up. From experience, we know that increased numbers on the roads mean increased crashes and, unfortunately, increased serious injuries and deaths. While traffic law enforcement is enhanced during this weekend, many road users continue to disobey the rules of the road and disregard their own and other road users’ safety. We therefore urge motorists, those on motorbikes, and pedestrians to be mindful of the increase in traffic volumes and to ensure they are cautious and always focused on the road when travelling. We have noted before, and we do again this year, that road safety remains a problem in our Country but, at the same time, is not prioritised sufficiently by authorities. Even though traffic law enforcement is increased at specific times of the year, road users have a responsibility to obey the rules of the road.
Traffic law enforcement can only do so much and if road users don’t play their role in ensuring their safety, they compromise the efforts of traffic law enforcement. Road users have a responsibility when on the road and until everyone understands and respects this, our country’s festive and annual road fatalities – which, in our view, amount to a national crisis – will not decline. Apart from keeping your vehicle in good mechanical condition, checking that the tyres (including the spare tyre) are in good shape and that all windscreen wipers are working, we also offer the following tips for travellers who may be on the road this Easter period:
- – Drink or drive.
- – Text or drive.
- – Rest before you travel. Do not drive if you are tired. Stop every two hours or 200 kilometres to stretch and get fresh air.
- – Do not use electronic devices while driving. Use cell phones only when needed in an emergency.
- – Ensure everyone in the vehicle wears a seatbelt (front and back).
- – Drive to the conditions of the road. The indicated speed limit is not a target.
- – Do not overtake when it is unsafe to do so, and respect and obey the road markings which indicate when you may or may not pass other vehicles.
- – If you are a cyclist, riding a motorbike or a pedestrian, make yourself visible and ensure your protective clothing is in good condition.
- – Ride and walk where it is safe to do so.
- – Respect traffic law enforcement, they are there to ensure your and other road users’ safety.
THERE IS ALWAYS TEMPTATION TO OVERLOAD…. AVOID MUSHIKA SHIKA
With the increase of passengers in need of transport, the public service vehicle operators are ever tempted to take more than the capacity of their cars. The economic gain exerts pressure that they overload coupled with the demand of passengers that find space in a vehicle already full to the brim. This habit further extends itself to ordinary passengers where a family of say, eight, can cram themselves in a five-seater sedan, simply because they all have to go. It cannot be over-emphasized how dangerous overloads are because a driver would fail to control a vehicle that is sagging under a massive load. Congregants going to services all over the country must ensure they have organized sufficient transport and avoid being overloaded at all costs.
Enjoy your drive and arrive safely at your destination. We also encourage travellers to make the journey part of their vacation by getting off the main roads and exploring Zimbabwe. Break a long drive with an overnight stay, and experience the splendour our country has to offer. Don’t be left with broken eggs in your basket this Easter weekend, ensure you have Drive Zim in your pocket. DRIVE ZIMBABWE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE? We go beyond roadside assistance just for you. Call or WhatsApp at 0780 579 261/0718 084 297 / 0736 523 424 Office+2638677160725 Email:info@drivezim.co.zw You probably didn’t have it in your plans, and you might not be exactly thrilled to have to call a tow truck. But it does happen, and when it does, perhaps the first thing on your mind is how much it will cost. The second thing is how much it would cost to tow your car. It is every car owner’s worst nightmare to have a vehicle break down in the middle of a road trip or city errand. It’s even worse when there’s nothing you can do about it – either because you’re too busy to address it yourself or if you just don’t know how to. That’s where Drive Zimbabwe Roadside Assistance comes in handy! The world may be unpredictable, but our towing service is something you can always count on. If you get stranded on the side of the road DZRA is the ideal breakdown cover provider if you’re looking for a simple experience that won’t break the Bank.
- Reaching the destination safely is the best reward for any motorist! Let us be kind and courteous to our fellow road users and remember that road safety is a team activity – let us help each other to ease the frustrations of heavy traffic and help and allow everyone to arrive alive at their destinations