Drunken driving, phone use a concern
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 15, 2026 10:13
According to the national crime and road safety report for the just-ended Easter holidays, police recorded 322 cases of drunken driving and 216 cases of motorists using mobile phones whilst driving. These figures reflect an increase from 291 and 91 cases respectively, during the same period last year.
Police have consistently attributed many fatal accidents to intoxication, noting that some motorists continue to drive under the influence of alcohol, often moving from one drinking spot to another. They have also highlighted a growing trend where individuals travel long distances to consume alcohol and then attempt to drive back home whilst intoxicated, a behaviour that has been linked to numerous accidents.
The use of mobile phones whilst driving has also become a significant challenge, as it leads to distraction and reduced attention on the road. Police have previously noted that some drivers involved in accidents fail to admit that they were distracted at the time of the crash.
The Botswana Police Service recorded an increase in fatal road traffic accidents, rising from five cases in the previous period to eight in the current reporting period, a 60% increase. Fatalities also rose from six to eight during the same period.
Despite these concerning trends, the overall number of road traffic accidents recorded across the country decreased by 16%, from 292 in 2025 to 169 in 2026. However, serious injuries increased by 23%, from 13 to 16 cases, whilst minor injuries doubled from 17 to 35.
Although cases of speeding and driving without a licence declined, police emphasised that these offences remain key contributing factors to road fatalities. Speeding cases dropped from 1,695 to 1,319, whilst incidents of driving without a licence decreased from 739 to 613. Careless driving also recorded a slight decline, from 146 to 143 cases. On a positive note, non-compliance offences showed a general decrease. Failure to wear seatbelts declined from 657 to 605 cases. Similarly, failure to obey traffic lights dropped from 247 to 203, whilst failure to produce a driver’s licence decreased from 46 to 28 cases.
In terms of crime, police recorded an overall 17% decrease in offences against property compared to the same period last year. Authorities attributed the improvement to enhanced policing strategies, including increased patrols, strengthened community policing, and ongoing public education efforts.
Burglary and theft cases dropped significantly from 17 in 2025 to six in the current period. However, housebreaking and theft increased from 13 to 20 cases. Armed robbery declined slightly from three to two cases, whilst common robbery rose sharply from four to 10 cases.
Stock theft decreased from 15 to seven cases, but incidents of breaking into motor vehicles increased from 20 to 23.
Police maintain that whilst the reduction in overall accidents and certain crime categories is encouraging, reckless behaviour such as drunk driving and distracted driving continues to undermine road safety efforts and remains a critical area of concern.