Published: 5 hours ago

Police have cited more than 3 000 motorists in Bulawayo for various traffic violations, ranging from ignoring stop and give-way signs to disobeying traffic lights, amid growing concern over rising road carnage across the country.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the bulk of the offences involved reckless driving and failure to comply with road rules, with hit-and-run incidents among the most serious infractions recorded.

The crackdown comes as new data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) paints a grim picture of road safety, showing a 19.8 percent increase in traffic accidents during the second quarter of 2025 compared to the first.

According to ZimStats, 15 350 road accidents were recorded nationwide during the period under review, resulting in 624 deaths and 2 926 injuries.

The rise in accidents coincides with a sharp growth in the number of vehicles on Zimbabwe's roads.
"During the second quarter of 2025, the number of vehicles registered for the first time increased by 15.2 percent — from 18 214 in the first quarter to 21 128," ZimStats said.

Light motor vehicles accounted for the largest share of new registrations, surging by 18.1 percent from 13 631 to 16 095.

The report also highlighted gaps in driver competence, with 54 453 learner drivers sitting for the certificate of competence test in the second quarter, yet only 52.9 percent managing to pass.

Mashonaland East (67.6 percent), Harare (66.3 percent) and Manicaland (50.1 percent) were the only provinces to record pass rates above 50 percent, while all other regions fell below the halfway mark — raising questions about driving standards across the country.

Police say enforcement campaigns will continue as authorities work to curb dangerous driving and improve road safety amid the alarming increase in accidents.
- The Chronicle