Appeal to public transport operators to exercise caution
The Monitor Editor | Tuesday July 7, 2026 11:45
Those who occasionally use highways like the A1 and A3 roads will bear testimony to have experienced this firsthand as they have been overtaken by overspeeding buses. Sadly, some of the passengers are the ones who urge some bus drivers to overspeed.
The result of this madness is the horrific accident that claimed lives of nine people on Sunday evening near Lechana settlement along the A1 Highway.
It is reported that the incident occurred after the bus hit a cow, and the impact forced the driver to lose control of the bus before it overturned.
Whilst police investigations are continuing, it has not been disclosed whether the driver was speeding or reckless driving, which remains one of the biggest causes of fatal accidents on the roads.
Perhaps it is high time that those who responsible for transporting large numbers of people go for rigorous training and be put through stringent testing.
It is not uncommon to hear that bus drivers sometimes make return trips between Gaborone and Francistown on a daily basis, and if at all that is true, it is very irresponsible to do so.
Driving needs high levels of concentration, and as such it is tiring. Fatigue may actually be one of the reasons why bus drivers end up getting into serious accidents, risking their customers’ lives. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, through the Department of Road Transport and Safety, should come up with stricter measures to ensure the safety of public transport users and to also ensure that buses that carry passengers are in a splendid condition.
It is not uncommon to come across buses on the A1 which are not roadworthy, and upon asking the drivers, they will simply tell you they reported the faults to the owners of the buses!
To a bus driver, there is an old saying,‘better late than never’, meaning it is better to arrive late than to never arrive at all! Stop overspeeding and refrain from listening to reckless passengers who urge you to speed.
Once you take that wheel, the lives of all the passengers are in your hands, and you should ensure that you exercise caution at all times! It is not for you to compete on how many hours it takes you to reach Francistown from Gaborone; yours is to ensure that your customers reach their destination alive and safe.