Mozambique: Police call on motorists to comply with traffic rules – AIM

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Mozambique: Police call on motorists to comply with traffic rules – AIM

9:52 CAT | 09 Nov 2021

Manhiça accident, Saturday, November 6, 2021.[Photo: TV Zambeze]

The General Commander of the Mozambican police force, Bernadino Rafael, has urged motorists to fully comply with traffic rules, in order to end accidents similar to the deadly tragedy which on Saturday killed at least 17 people in Manhiça district, about 80 kilometres north of Maputo.

In the accident, which occurred along Mozambique’s main south-north highway (EN1), 15 people perished on the spot including three children. A sixteenth died in Manhica District Hospital while the final victim died on his way to Maputo Central Hospital, the country’s largest health unit.

Eye witnesses claimed that the fatal accident was caused by a Toyota Prado vehicle, travelling at high speed towards Maputo. Attempting to overtake, the Toyota moved into the opposite lane and collided head-on with a passenger minibus that was travelling northwards.

Briefing reporters on Saturday in Manhica, where the crash occurred, Rafael said “it is an accident but also a homicide, taking into account the circumstances in which the accident occurred. It is the result of human behaviour.” He added that both drivers had been speeding.

Rafael stressed the need for civic awareness and compliance with traffic rules. Each and every driver has to heed the appeals for safe driving and everyone has a role to play in reducing road accidents.

The driver of the minibus, who sustained injuries and is receiving medical care, told reporters that he was driving at the speed of 80 kilometres per hour, when he suddenly heard a loud bang as something hit his vehicle, and after that he could not remember anything else.

In July, 31 people died on the spot and 26 others sustained injuries, after an accident, also in Manhica district, was caused by a bus, with over 50 people on board, coming from the central city of Beira and heading for Maputo.

The bus, which was driving at high speed, attempted to overtake a lorry loaded with building sand. As the bus driver moved into the opposite lane, he crashed with an articulated truck ferrying container cargo northwards. Fighting to bring back the bus into its correct lane, he also hit the sand laden lorry which overturned.

There was only one driver on the bus. By road, Beira is over 1,200 kilometres from Maputo, and even under good conditions the journey would take over 16 hours. It is thus more than likely that the driver was suffering from fatigue.

On Friday, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi in Maputo urged various representatives of the justice administration system to ensure administrative, civil and criminal accountability of everyone who contributes to road accidents.

Nyusi also pointed out that most of the accidents are caused by very well-known human abuses that can and should be avoided. They include speeding, drink-driving, disrespect for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and fatigue, including falling asleep at the wheel.

Source: AIM