Festive road fatalities down
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday January 12, 2015 16:29
Police spokesperson Christopher Mbulawa said at least 37 people died in separate road accidents that occurred countrywide during the festive season between December 19, 2014 and January 2015.
“Preliminary Botswana Police Service reports however show a decline in fatalities as 377 people died in road accidents in 2014 compared to 411 who perished in road crashes in 2013,” Mbulawa said.
He said this was due to cooperation from the general public at roadblocks. The police boss said it shows that some motorists are obeying road traffic laws.
“One of our aims is to reduce cases of fatalities. We achieved this by holding workshops with different companies, stopping motorist on the road to educate them about issues of road safety. We were working hand-in- hand with Motor Vehicle Accidents Fund (MVA),” he said.
An MVA report shows that the total amount spent on road safety during the year was P7, 509,447 compared to P8, 393,321 in 2011, P9, 473,419 in 2011 and P1, 930,388 in 2009. The report indicates that number of claimants for whom the fund has undertaken to provide future medical care was 4,513 as the end of December 2012 an increase of 853 and 356 compared to the 3,660 in 2011 and 4,157 in 2010.
The police also recorded 16 murder, 62 rape, 42 armed robberies and 185 break-in cases compared to 22 murder, 60 rape, 36 armed robberies and 766 break in cases registered during the same period in 2013. Mbulawa said they believe they achieved this through neighbourhood watch which the public was active in and their patrols. He said all the efforts they put in place brought positive results to reduce the number of house break-ins.