The Zambia Police Service says a total amount of K K591, 075.00 was raised in admission of guilt fines during this new year’s holiday as compared to 434,270.00 raised in 2020.
In a statement made available to Money FM News, Police Spokesperson Esther Mwaata Katongo said this shows that the admission of guilt has risen by K156, 805.00 compared to last year’s holiday.
And Ms Katongo added that during 2021 New Year holiday, a total number of 225 road traffic accidents were recorded across the country.
She said out of the 225 accidents 22 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 28 people lost their lives while 27 were serious road traffic accidents in which 31 persons were seriously injured and 54 were slight road traffic accidents in which 61 persons were slightly injured and 122 were damage road traffic accidents.
Ms Katongo disclosed that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with 105, followed by Copperbelt Province with 31, Central province with 22, Southern and Eastern provinces with 14 each, Luapula with 11, North Western and Western provinces with 08 road traffic accidents each. Muchinga and Northern Provinces recorded the least with 06 and 04 respectively.
“This New year holiday has recorded more road traffic accidents as compared to the last new year’s holiday as it had more days of four (04) as compared to 2020 New year Holiday which had two (02) days. Increased movement of motorists to various destinations and disregard to the road traffic rules and regulations may be contributing factor to the increase in Road Traffic accidents,” she explained.
She added that in comparison with previous New Year holiday of 2020, a total number of 101 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 225 road traffic accidents recorded this year, which shows an increase by 124 road traffic accidents, 13 were fatal road traffic accidents in which 13 persons were killed in the 2020 New Year holiday as compared to 22 fatal road traffic accidents where 28 persons were killed. The record shows an increase in fatal road traffic accidents by 09 and persons killed by 15
She further said in the same holiday of 2020, 15 were recorded as serious road traffic accidents in which 18 persons were seriously injured as compared to 27 serious road traffic accidents where 31 persons were seriously injured in this New Year’s holiday. The accidents still show increased figures in serious road traffic accidents by 12 and in persons seriously injured by 13,16 were recorded as slight road traffic accident in 2020 in which 19 persons were slightly injured as compared to 54 slight road traffic accidents where 61 persons were slightly injured this year.
“The figures also shows increase in slight road traffic accidents by 38 and 42 persons slightly injured,” Ms. Katongo said.
She said 57 were recorded as damage only road traffic accidents in the holiday of 2020 as compared to 122 recorded in this year’s holiday. There is still an increase in damage only road traffic accidents by 67.