Zanzibar calls for stronger road safety
ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR government has called for stronger enforcement of road safety laws after 85 road accidents recorded over a three-month period left 61 people dead and 88 others injured.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed said the figures demonstrated the urgent need for all road transport stakeholders to take road safety regulations seriously.
He made the call on Monday while closing a one-month training programme for driving instructors, saying many accidents were linked to failure by road users to observe traffic laws and basic safety requirements.
The minister said the continued loss of lives and injuries required coordinated action by drivers, driving instructors, transport operators, enforcement authorities and other stakeholders.
He also warned that road accidents do not only cause deaths and injuries but can damage road infrastructure in which the government is investing heavily.
Dr Khalid urged transport stakeholders to take responsibility of promoting safe behaviour on the roads and ensuring that traffic regulations are followed in practice.
The training programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of driving instructors so they can produce drivers who understand and observe road safety requirements.
Presenting a message from the Head of Traffic Police, Assistant Police Inspector Omar Hamad urged the instructors to ensure that the drivers they train are competent and committed to obeying traffic laws.
He said instructors had an important responsibility because the quality of training provided to new drivers could directly influence their behaviour once they begin operating vehicles on public roads.
The graduates, through a message read by Shemsa Salahadin Mohamed, pledged to use the knowledge and professional skills gained through the training to produce careful and disciplined drivers.
The training brought together 40 driving instructors from Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania.
It was jointly conducted by Arusha Technical College and Abnan Transport and Logistics.
