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The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that over 246,000 lives were lost in Africa each year due to road traffic crashes, according to authorities.
Transport and Logistics Minister, Frank Tayali, called for urgent attention when he spoke during a training programme in Lusaka on Monday, hosted by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the World Bank.
He said that the alarming statistic not only represents a significant loss of human life but also imposes substantial economic burdens on African countries, hindering sustainable development efforts across the continent.
“This and many other proactive interventions by the government have helped mitigate the alarming statistics recorded periodically,” the Minister said.
Tayali pointed out that in 2023, Zambia recorded a total of 36,755 road traffic crashes, resulting in 2,011 fatalities and 6,027 serious injuries.
He called for urgent need for concerted action in response to these alarming statistics of road traffic crashes.
“Accident statistics show that 90 percent of road traffic crashes are due to human error. Road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities have become a public health and developmental problem in Zambia and Africa,” Tayali stated.
The Minister mentioned that the government, based on one of its campaign promises before the 2021 General Elections, had commenced the construction of the 327 kilometers dual carriageway between Lusaka and Ndola.
He explained that this initiative demonstrated practical commitment to improving the road safety profile of Zambia, especially considering that the road was one of the most important economic roads in the country.
“The T2/T3 road connects Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka, to the mineral-rich Copperbelt and North-Western Provinces. It is also the main gateway to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” he added.
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Tayali highlighted that the historic deal was Zambia’s largest Public Private Partnership (PPP) road project post-independence, signaling a policy shift from using public funds and debt for infrastructure development to a private sector-led development agenda.
“The Lusaka-Ndola road facilitates trade between the Region, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” the Minister said.
RTSA Chief Executive Officer, Amon Mweemba, expressed the agency’s commitment to making substantial progress towards the shared goal of zero road fatalities through a multifaceted approach encompassing education, enforcement, infrastructure improvement, and strategic partnerships.
“We wholeheartedly commit to collaborating with our partners to address these challenges and build a safer, more resilient road transport system,” Mweemba stated.
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