02 Dec 2021

The festive season is a period when the country experiences high volumes of traffic, thus posing high risk to all road users.

Giving a keynote address at the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Kasane on Wednesday, Chobe District officer – administration, Mr Leloko Masita said most of road traffic crashes were a result of drunk driving, speeding, pedestrian misconduct and other behavioural risk factors.

He said this year’s commemoration theme: Act for Low Speeds/Act for Low Speed Streets, sent a clear message to all road users as it placed emphasis on the reduction of traffic speed, to prevent fatalities and severe injuries.

“Let me take this opportunity to highlight that as we remember victims of fatal crashes whose lives were claimed on our roads, we should as well acknowledge the families which provide support system to the surviving victims, who may be permanently injured and need post-crash healthcare,” Mr Masita said.

He was concerned with continued loss of lives on the roads, particularly by the most vulnerable age group of 21-50 years.

Mr Masita said if the unfortunate trajectory was not contained, it would result in a huge loss of financial and human resources, much needed to grow the economy.

He said government, through the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund paid over P200 million each year in compensation claims to victims of road accidents.

Motor Vehicle Accident Fund case management officer - welfare, Mr Buriel Motlhanka advised parents and road traffic victims to visit their offices when in need of help and urged road users to always drive with caution.

Plateau Ward councillor, Mr Boitumelo Kanyetu expressed a concern over the high number of accidents in Chobe. 

He said his main concern was speeding, mostly done by taxi drivers and cautioned them to refrain from doing so.

The road crash statistics for the period January - September 2021 as recorded by Botswana Police Service stand at 10 908 nationally, out of which 251 deaths and 628 serious injuries were recorded. 

Comparatively, a total of 15 075 crashes were recorded in the same period in 2020, out of which 325 deaths and 819 serious injuries were recorded.

The commemoration is a response to a resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2005, which implores all governments to observe the third Sunday of November each year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. BOPA