Malawi police in road safety drive
Police in Malawi’s eastern policing region have embarked on a road safety campaign with an aim to curb increasing incidents of road accidents in the region.
Speaking at the eastern town of Balaka after holding similar functions at Phalula, Senzani, Manjawira and Chingeni Trading centres, Head of Traffic Police in the region Dorothy Kawale said the police have observed that the country is losing a lot of people due to road accidents hence the need to sensitize the general public on road safety measures.
“A lot of road accidents that happen in the region are preventable and most happen due to negligence by motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Most of the roads accidents that are registered in the region so far involve pedal cyclists and pedestrians,” she said.
On pedal cyclists, Kawale said the law is still there that punish cyclists whose bicycles are not road worthy and called upon them to make sure that their bicycles are road worthy and that they should put on reflective clothes whenever they are on the road.
She also asked them not to look back when they hear a hooter but just give way because looking back may results in an accident after losing balance.
Kawale told the gathering that she is concerned with the increase of 3 tonner lorries which are used as passenger vehicles and warned that this is a threat to the life of passengers as insurance only covers the driver and two passengers in front
“If you are involved in a road accident, no compensations will be made,” she said.
Eastern Region Community Policing Co-ordinator Senior Superintendent Alfred Chimwaza called upon members of the general public not to sell their merchandise close to road.
He said Police has noted with great concern that people are doing their trade along the road which is a threat to their life.
Statistics show that seven people including two pedal cyclists have died in August alone in Balaka district due to road accidents.
According to Balaka Public Relations Officer (PRO) Joseph Sauka in the month of August alone, seven people have died in Balaka district due to road accidents in which two of them were pedal cyclists.
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