By Kudzai Jakachira
At least 18 people were killed and 51 others injured in road traffic accidents across Zimbabwe during the Heroes and Defence Forces holiday period, according to figures released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Police recorded 145 road traffic accidents during the holiday period, 13 of which were fatal.
Despite the loss of life, the figures represented a significant improvement compared with the corresponding period last year, when 196 accidents were recorded, resulting in 24 deaths and 96 injuries.
The latest figures show that road crashes declined by 26 percent, fatalities by 25 percent, while injuries fell by nearly 47 percent compared with the 2025 holiday period.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi attributed the decline to increased enforcement and targeted road safety campaigns conducted before and during the holiday period.
However, police warned that human error remained a major factor behind crashes on Zimbabwe’s roads, with driver inattention, poor judgment, excessive speeding, tailgating, dangerous overtaking, failure to give way and reckless driving identified among the leading causes.
Other contributing factors included driver fatigue, mechanical faults, poor road conditions and pedestrian negligence.
Speeding and negligent driving were particularly prominent in crashes that resulted in fatalities, highlighting the continued risks posed by dangerous driving during peak travel periods.
The deadliest single crash occurred at around 4.30pm on August 11 along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road near the 279-kilometre peg.
A light truck carrying 29 passengers veered off the road after the driver lost control, before plunging into a river bank.
Four people died on the spot, while 12 others sustained injuries.
Police statistics further show that none of the 18 people who died were travelling in registered public service vehicles.
Nine fatalities involved private family transport, while the remaining eight deaths were recorded in crashes involving three lorries, two ox-drawn scotch carts, a tractor and a motorcycle.
Police have continued to urge motorists to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and avoid dangerous driving practices, particularly during periods of increased traffic on major highways.
