Separate Road Mishaps Claim 3 Lives
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday November 30, 2021 06:00
The first mishap occurred on Saturday night at around 11:30pm by Kofifi Shopping Complex in Bontleng, Gaborone involving a 41-year-old pedestrian who lost her life after she was hit by a speeding car while by the roadside.
Deputy Divisional Traffic Officer for South-Central, senior Superintendent Boiki Mojalemotho said the second one was on Saturday morning at 4am, when another pedestrian lost his life after he was hit by a car when trying to cross the road along Mogobane road near Lekgwapheng cattle post.
“We are also investigating another fatal accident in which a woman who was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla lost her life after the car she was travelling in lost control and overturned,” Mojalemotho said.
“The accident occurred on Sunday early morning at around 3:30am along Tlokweng/Modipane road. Investigations into all of these fatal accidents are still ongoing to establish what really transpired.” Narrating what transpired in the Saturday night fatal accident, Mojalemotho said it appears as if the 39-year-old driver of Nissan Elgrand, who was passing in front of Kofifi Shopping Complex, had been speeding and lost control of the car and in the process hitting three pedestrians who were standing by the roadside. Mojalemotho pointed out that the three pedestrians were a 35-year-old man and two women, aged 33 and 41 respectively.
“Unfortunately the 41-year-old woman who had sustained serious head injuries was certified dead by doctors on arrival at Princess Marina Hospital (PMH). The other two pedestrians also sustained serious leg injuries and are currently hospitalised at PMH,” he said. Furthermore the traffic senior officer said in another accident, an unknown pedestrian, a man likely to be around 30 years of age met his death after he was hit by a car while trying to cross the road at Lekgwapheng cattle post.
He stated that a 56-year-old woman, who was driving a Madza Demio at around 4am, hit the deceased.
“We are appealing to members of the community to come and identify the deceased at Bamalete Lutheran Hospital because he did not have any form of identification. He had sustained injuries on his head and body, but had serious head injuries,” Mojalemotho said.
He said regarding the Sunday’s early morning fatal accident, a 46-year-old driver of a Toyota Corolla is alleged to have had a tyre burst and lost control of the car. The car then overturned leaving one dead. The driver, a Tlokweng native who was driving along Modipane/Tlokweng road, had four passengers on board, a man and three women.
“The driver alleges to have had a tyre burst but investigations are ongoing to establish what really transpired that early morning. Other passengers were rushed to PMH where they are still hospitalised with serious injuries,” explained Mojalemotho.
The traffic officer added that all of the drivers were tested and their alcohol levels went over the limit save for the 56-year-old female driver who was not intoxicated. He said drunken driving is responsible for a high proportion of traffic accidents. Mojalemotho also raised concern that despite their efforts to curb this scourge, drivers continue to go behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.
“This Saturday alone we tested drivers and discovered 39 were driving under the influence of alcohol. Police continue to plead for sober driving as alcohol affects drivers in many aspects including their attitude, judgement, vigilance, reaction to mention but a few,” he said.