More road deaths during past festive season

Despite stricter measures, deployment of mobile roadblocks and more traffic officers during the festive season, the death toll was higher than the previous year. At a press conference yesterday, the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) released the crash statistics for the festive season which ran from November 22 to January 15. These statistics focused on the B1 road from Windhoek to Omuthiya, and the B2 road from Okahandja to Walvis Bay. During the 2015/16 festive season the NRSC in association with the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, the police, the Roads Authority and other agencies made various efforts to reduce road accidents. These included the reintroduction of the breathalyser, a prohibition on the transport of people in trucks, pedestrian fines, speed traps and the screening of up to 500 cars for roadworthiness and drivers for sobriety at checkpoints daily. Eliphas !Owos-Oab, chairman of the NRSC, said reducing the accident rate could only become a reality if efforts were made by both the NRSC and Namibian drivers. “We would also like truck drivers to come on board with our campaign and focus on the times they operate, to reduce the number of accidents reported in which trucks are involved”. !Owos-Oab went on to say “as far as road safety is concerned we are not winning”. One of the most alarming factors found was the number of unlicensed drivers on the roads. !Owos-Oab said cars driven by unlicensed drivers are “lethal weapons” and stricter measures were needed. Another major concern is the high number of government cars involved in traffic offences and accidents. During the festive season 66 government cars and 21 police cars were involved in accidents. GARWIN BEUKES