ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR Second VicePresident, Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, has said that the government will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to reduce deaths caused by preventable road crashes across the islands.
Mr Abdulla made the statement here over the weekend, during the climax of the 2024 Road Safety Week, held at the International Trade Fair Grounds in Nyamanzi village, Unguja West B District, insisting that public support is crucial to achieving this goal.
He also called for the strict enforcement of existing laws and the launch of the 2024- 2030 Road Safety Strategy.
“We must raise public awareness, strengthen preventive measures and enforce laws to control road crashes, which result in unnecessary deaths and injuries, often leading to permanent disabilities,” said the 2VP.
He stressed that everyone in the country has a role to play in reducing road crashes by taking necessary precautions and adhering to safety regulations.
The 2VP also pointed out that studies have shown that most road crashes are caused by human error, including drivers’ negligence of road safety rules, speeding, drunk driving, using phones while driving and defective vehicles.
He urged the public to use these findings to adopt measures that minimise human errors, which contribute to crashes that claim lives and cause damage to people and property.
Regarding statistics, Mr Abdulla revealed that between 2019 and 2023, there were 1,181 reported road crashes, resulting in 799 deaths and 1,461 injuries. From January to October 2024, 193 crashes were reported, leading to 264 deaths and 216 injuries.
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The 2VP further instructed the Zanzibar National Committee for Road Safety to continue its work, including providing road safety education to the public and urged the police to enforce traffic laws effectively.
He also took the opportunity to remind drivers to adhere to road safety rules and ensure their vehicles are in good mechanical condition before driving. He encouraged citizens to cooperate with authorities by reporting drivers who violate safety regulations.
Zanzibar’s Minister for Infrastructure, Communication and Transport, Dr Khalid Salum Muhammed, said that road crashes remain a serious issue in the country.
“Only through collaboration and a commitment to following road safety regulations can we effectively address this problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police (CP) Zanzibar, Hamad Khamis Hamad, commended President Hussein Mwinyi’s ongoing efforts to improve road infrastructure. He promised to intensify surveillance to curb road crashes.
CP Hamad also noted that enforcing road safety laws faces several challenges, particularly the lack of road safety education among many road users, and urged continued education for citizens on proper road use and safety compliance.
Speaking on behalf of other sponsors of the 2024 Road Safety Week events, Ms Awena Rajab Mohamed of the Zanzibar Communication Corporation (ZICTIA) stated, “Road crashes have become a national disaster that requires urgent intervention to save lives and property.”
She expressed confidence that the education provided during Road Safety Week would reach the intended audience and lead to positive outcomes, particularly in improving adherence to road safety regulations.
