MPS records also indicate that comparatively, fewer people have been killed and injured in these road accidents during the holiday this year than in 2023.

Out of the four road accidents this year, two were fatal in which three people were killed. The remaining two accidents were minor in which two people were slightly injured.

National Police spokesperson, Peter Kalaya, attributed the reduction in accidents to the diligent work of traffic police officers who collaborated with the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS). He also highlighted the success of safety messages communicated to the public, which raised awareness of road safety during the holiday.

“The cooperation between the police and the DRTSS, along with the strategic communication of safety measures to the public, played a critical role in reducing accidents this year,” said Kalaya.

This improvement in road safety is seen as a positive step toward protecting lives, especially during public holidays when road traffic incidents typically rise.

In contrast, nine of the 26 road accidents recorded last year were fatal in which 18 people were killed while two of them were serious in which 9 people were severely injured. Further, the records indicate that eight of these accidents were minor in which 20 people were slightly injured.

This indicates that comparatively, road accidents have decreased by 85 percent. Out of these, fatal road accidents have decreased by 78 percent while serious road accidents have decreased by 100 percent. It also shows that the number of people killed from the road accidents has decreased by 83 percent.

MPS attributes the decline to traffic police officers’ visibility on public roads, joint operation done by traffic police officers and officials from the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services, awareness programs conducted by its Public Relations and Community Policing Branches and the fact that this year’s Mother’s Day fell on a Tuesday unlike in 2023 when it fell on a Sunday.

MPS pledges to continue implementing viable preventive strategies to further reduce road accidents and ensure safety of all when travelling by road.