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Oswell Moyo Chronicle Reporter
THE Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has said 94 percent of fatal accidents on the country’s roads are caused by driver error.
Officially opening a defensive driving lecture room at the TSCZ Bulawayo offices yesterday, board chairperson Nelson Mawema said most accidents were due to drivers’ failure to adhere to road regulations.

“Road traffic accidents as you may be aware are a matter of great public concern, not only here in Bulawayo but nationally. It’s with great concern that the major contributory factor to road crashes remains the human error. Research has shown that driver error accounts for over 94 percent of all fatal and injury crashes on Zimbabwean roads,” said Mawema.

He said people in the 26 to 45 years age group were the major demographic group involved in accidents.

The TSCZ chairperson said the council was concerned with the public transport sector and   as such a National Public Transport policy    document is being crafted to put an end to the chaos in the sector.

He said they were also crafting a new curriculum for driving school instructors and were also still working on drafting the new Highway Code.

“As part of improving driving standards in our country we’re in the process of harmonising the Highway Code with other countries in the Sadc region. We’re still doing some consultation on the draft review.”

Two weeks ago, 25 people died while 46 were seriously injured when a Zupco bus heading for Mutoko and a Pioneer bus travelling to Harare side- swiped along the Harare -Nyamapanda highway.

Last year, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development revealed that more than 30,000 people were killed in road accidents between 1997 and 2013.

MPs listed 12 other causes of road accidents in the country that include bad state of roads, speeding, drunken driving, fatigue and use of cellphones when driving.

The use of second hand tyres, stationary and defective vehicles as well as stray animals on the roads, inadequate road signage and markings as well as lack of traffic enforcement were also mentioned.