By JOHN SAKALA
Twenty-seven (27) people died in road traffic accidents during the four days holiday, Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo has said.
Ms Katongo has told The Independent Observer that the country recorded 300 road traffic accidents of which 24 were fatal in which 27 people died.
She said during the 2018 Heroes and Unity long weekend from June 29, at 18:00 hours to today July 4, at 06:00 hours, the Zambia Police recorded 300 road traffic accidents.
“Out of the 300 road traffic accidents, 24 were fatal in which 27 people died compared to last year where 26 people died, 41 were serious road traffic accidents with 113 persons sustaining serious injuries compared to 56 persons injured in 2017 showing an increase on the injured by 57.
“Sixty four of these were slight road traffic accidents in which 86 people were slightly injured compared to 82 persons that were slightly injured in 2017 while 171 were damages only road traffic accidents compared to 176 recorded during the same period last year showing a decrease by 05 road traffic accidents,” she said.
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Ms Katongo said Lusaka Province had recorded 105 road traffic accidents with one (01) death and five people seriously injured, Copperbelt had 56 road traffic accidents with five (05) deaths and 22 seriously injured.
She said Central Province had 27 road traffic accidents with three (03) deaths and 10 seriously injured, Eastern had 29 road traffic accidents with five (05) deaths and four (04) seriously injured, Southern had 24 road traffic accidents with two (02) deaths and 21 seriously injured.
And Luapula had 14 road traffic accidents with four (04) deaths and 29 seriously injured, North Western had 15 road traffic accidents with one (01) death and 07 seriously injured, Western had 12 road traffic accidents with three (03) people killed and two (02) left with serious injuries.
While Northern had eight accidents with one (01) death and five (05) seriously injured while Muchinga Province recorded 10 road traffic accidents with two (02) deaths and eight (08) seriously injured.
Ms Katongo said most of the accidents were as a result of excessive speed, misjudging clearance distance and failing to keep to the lane (failing to keep to the near side).
