92 000 tested for drunk driving
A total of 92 589 drivers were tested for drunk driving this festive season and 273 of these drivers were arrested.
The festive season road-safety campaign was conducted countrywide from 20 November to 15 January and involved several stakeholders such as the Namibian police, the National Road Safety Council, Windhoek City Police, Roads Authority and the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund.
Namibian police deputy inspector-general for operations, Major-General Oscar Embubulu, yesterday said of the more than 90 000 drivers that were tested for drunk driving 79 781 were men and 12 808 were women.
“All in all 413 drivers were arrested of which 273 arrests were for drunk driving and 140 for other traffic law violations.”
Embubulu said 395 of the drivers arrested for drunk driving were men and 18 were women.
A total of 12 782 traffic summons to the value of more than N$13.7 million were issued.
Embubulu said 94 fatalities were recorded on Namibia's roads this festive season, declining by 11% from the previous year when 106 people died in road accidents.
In terms of the number of accidents, there was a decline of 4%, with 509 accidents recorded in the 2019/2020 festive season period compared to 529 during the previous year.
Injuries dropped by 2% from 928 in the 2018/19 festive season to 913 this festive season.
The majority of the crashes occurred in the Khomas Region (24%), followed by Erongo (15%), Oshana (10%) and Oshikoto (10%).
Most road fatalities were reported in Otjozondjupa (14%) while Ohangwena and Hardap recorded 13% each.
In the previous year the majority of the crashes occurred in the Khomas Region (27%) while most fatalities were recorded in Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto regions with 21% and 10% respectively.
Embubulu said the police were looking forward to greater improvements in road safety.
He stressed that education was crucial in changing behaviour among road users.
Ambrosius Tierspoor, head of communications at the National Road Safety Council, agreed that the decline in accidents and fatalities was marginal and more education among road users was needed.
“Unless we change behaviour more lives will be lost,” Tierspoor emphasised.
Embubulu further said that in his personal view drivers were concerned about road safety and therefore instead of all driving on the same day to their destinations rather decided to drive when roads were not that congested.
He also highlighted the fact that there are shortcomings when it comes to enforcing traffic laws. He specially pointed out that there should be steps taken to suspend driving licences when certain traffic laws are violated.
“When paying a fine a rich person can easily think, what is N$4 000 when he has another N$4 000, but when a licence is suspended, you will think again,” he said.
ELLANIE SMIT
The festive season road-safety campaign was conducted countrywide from 20 November to 15 January and involved several stakeholders such as the Namibian police, the National Road Safety Council, Windhoek City Police, Roads Authority and the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund.
Namibian police deputy inspector-general for operations, Major-General Oscar Embubulu, yesterday said of the more than 90 000 drivers that were tested for drunk driving 79 781 were men and 12 808 were women.
“All in all 413 drivers were arrested of which 273 arrests were for drunk driving and 140 for other traffic law violations.”
Embubulu said 395 of the drivers arrested for drunk driving were men and 18 were women.
A total of 12 782 traffic summons to the value of more than N$13.7 million were issued.
Embubulu said 94 fatalities were recorded on Namibia's roads this festive season, declining by 11% from the previous year when 106 people died in road accidents.
In terms of the number of accidents, there was a decline of 4%, with 509 accidents recorded in the 2019/2020 festive season period compared to 529 during the previous year.
Injuries dropped by 2% from 928 in the 2018/19 festive season to 913 this festive season.
The majority of the crashes occurred in the Khomas Region (24%), followed by Erongo (15%), Oshana (10%) and Oshikoto (10%).
Most road fatalities were reported in Otjozondjupa (14%) while Ohangwena and Hardap recorded 13% each.
In the previous year the majority of the crashes occurred in the Khomas Region (27%) while most fatalities were recorded in Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto regions with 21% and 10% respectively.
Embubulu said the police were looking forward to greater improvements in road safety.
He stressed that education was crucial in changing behaviour among road users.
Ambrosius Tierspoor, head of communications at the National Road Safety Council, agreed that the decline in accidents and fatalities was marginal and more education among road users was needed.
“Unless we change behaviour more lives will be lost,” Tierspoor emphasised.
Embubulu further said that in his personal view drivers were concerned about road safety and therefore instead of all driving on the same day to their destinations rather decided to drive when roads were not that congested.
He also highlighted the fact that there are shortcomings when it comes to enforcing traffic laws. He specially pointed out that there should be steps taken to suspend driving licences when certain traffic laws are violated.
“When paying a fine a rich person can easily think, what is N$4 000 when he has another N$4 000, but when a licence is suspended, you will think again,” he said.
ELLANIE SMIT
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