The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has called for arresting powers to help curb reckless driving and improve road safety.
TSCZ Regional Manager Claudious Muzuva believes granting the organization such authority would promote better driver behavior and reduce road carnage.
Zimbabwe continues to grapple with a rising number of road accidents, with human error, poor road infrastructure, and unroadworthy vehicles among the leading causes. The crisis was highlighted by a tragic head-on collision between a bus and a haulage truck near Beitbridge on February 13, 2025, which claimed 24 lives and left several others critically injured. President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the accident a national disaster.
Statistics paint a grim picture: Zimbabwe recorded over 13,500 road accidents in the last quarter of 2023, resulting in 553 deaths—a 7.9% increase from the previous quarter. The country’s road traffic mortality rate ranks among the highest globally, with an estimated 41 deaths per 100,000 people annually.
Bus accidents remain a major concern, often caused by driver fatigue, speeding, and poorly maintained vehicles. Calls for stricter enforcement, improved road infrastructure, and better public transport regulation continue to grow as authorities seek solutions to the nation’s road safety crisis.
