Three dead and several injured after Inter-Africa Bus Services Bus head-on collision with a car in Esigodini.

 

THREE people were killed while several others were seriously injured yesterday when a bus they were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision with a car in Esigodini.

The accident occurred along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road shortly after 5PM.

The bus, belonging to Inter-Africa Bus Services, was coming from Chipinge headed for Bulawayo while the car, a Mazda Demio was coming from Bulawayo.

The number of people who were injured and their conditions could not be established immediately last night, but they were rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals by ambulances.

When The Chronicle news crew visited the accident scene, police had cordoned off the area.

The bus landed on its side after overturning and the vehicle was extensively damaged.

Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Richard Peterson said: “I can confirm that an accident occurred in Esigodini between a bus and a light vehicle. Three people died on the spot while the injured were rushed to UBH.”

He said he did not have further details on the injured and what could have caused the accident.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi last night said he hadn’t yet received a report on the accident.

The bus owner Leonard Mukumba said the bus was travelling from Chipinge to Bulawayo, but did not have details of what transpired.

“It was raining and it was wet. We suspect that one of the vehicles swerved and encroached onto the lane of oncoming traffic,” said Mukumba.

Recently, a report by MPs said 85 percent of accidents in the country were caused by human error. MPs listed 12 other causes of accidents in the country that include the bad state of the roads, speeding, drunken driving, fatigue, use of cellphones when driving and going through red robots.

The use of second hand tyres, stationary and defective vehicles as well as stray animals on the roads, inadequate road signage and markings as well as lack of traffic enforcement were also cited.

The lawmakers’ report recommended that the government should increase fines charged for traffic offences so that they are deterrent. The authorities were also urged to introduce traffic courts where routine offenders are charged and licences are endorsed or cancelled. The committee said the corrupt issuance of drivers’ licences and certificates of fitness by the Vehicle Inspection Department as well as corruption at roadblocks also contributed to road accidents. In order to reduce corruption, MPs said VID and ZRP traffic officers must periodically be transferred.

The report said the volume of traffic has increased significantly in Zimbabwe while the road infrastructure remains the same and has deteriorated with little rehabilitation. — By Mashudu Netsianda. source-chronicle

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