The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST), the nation’s leading NGO for Road Safety, says it’s unfair to the families and the victims to fine K9,000 for the driver who ended the lives of 12 innocent people through his dangerous driving.
Elias Sikwenda who leaped into Buseko Market last year and killed 12 people due to excessive speed was fined K9,000 or in default six months simple imprisonment by the Lusaka High Court judge Ruth Chibbabuka.
He admitted the charge of 12 counts of causing death by dangerous driving when he plunged into a bar at Buseko Market, killing 12 people who were watching football.
ZRST Communications Advisor Miles Mwale Said on average, five people die on our roads each day.
Mr Mwale said that sentences for those who endanger injure or kill should be much tougher, serving as a better warning to those who flagrantly flout the law.
He said the government needs to quickly change the law for dangerous drivers to be fair to the victims.
“Serious injuries in road accidents must be taken seriously, with appropriate charges in place for causing them. For every death on the road there are more than ten times as many people seriously injured. More resources for the traffic police are also needed to take out dangerous drivers off our roads before the kill,” he said.
