Three die in Gaborone over the Easters
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 19, 2017 16:09
No: 13 District Traffic Officer, Superintendent Boiki Mojalemotho said that they suspect speeding as the cause of the accidents that claimed the victims’ lives. He said all of the three accidents occurred in the middle of the city where drivers were supposed to have been cautious and driving at minimum speed.
“Looking at the rate of accidents in our policing area, they have generally dropped as compared to 53 accidents last year around this time while this Easter holidays we only have 26 accidents. Last year, four people dead as compared three people that lost their lives these holidays,” Mojalemotho said. Mojalemotho said despite the slight drop the fatal accidents concern them because their wish was not to lose any life these holidays.
He said last Friday around mid-night, a fatal accident occurred along A12 road near Trekkers Night Club and claimed the life of a 40-year-old man. He said the deceased was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla that collided with an Isuzu bakkie that was driving from Gaborone heading towards Metsimotlhabe side.
“The deceased was from the Metsimotlhabe side in the company of another man in the Toyota Corolla when the accident occurred. They were turning into the club when their cars collided,” Mojalemotho said.
He said the Toyota Corolla driver was badly injured and currently hospitalised at the Bokamoso Private Hospital while the Isuzu driver escaped with minor injuries. “We suspect the Toyota Corolla driver failed to stop before turning to clear the road and that’s what caused the accident,” Mojalemotho said.
He said on the same day around 10pm, another accident occurred in Metsimotlhabe opposite the Top Centre Bar in which a 41-year-old pedestrian was hit by a mini-bus trying to cross the road.
“The pedestrian who was crossing the road from the bar died on spot. The mini-bus was heading towards Molepolole from Gaborone when the accident occurred,” Mojalemotho said.
He said investigations on the matter are still ongoing but the mini-bus driver was driving under the influence of alcohol. Mojalemotho said on Saturday another fatal accident occurred near the Btv circle in which a Toyota Hilux 2.7 lost control and hit a Toyota Corolla and a BMW car that was approaching the circle from the Mogoditshane side.
“The Toyota Corolla passenger aged 35 died on the spot. The driver of the Toyota Hilux 2.7 said he lost control of the car while trying to get out of the circle. The drivers were all tested and found sober hence investigations on the matter are still ongoing to establish the cause of the accident,” Mojalemotho.
He said he suspects the Toyota Hilux 2.7 was over speeding and lost control and that might have caused the accident.
He said they arrested 21 people who were driving under the influence of alcohol as compared to 34 people last year over the Easter Holidays.
“We arrested 95 people who were driving without drivers’ licences as compared to 117 people arrested the same time last year. We arrested 27 people for failure to obey the traffic lights as compared to 22 people last year,” Mojalemotho said.
Mojalemotho thanked members of the public for their cooperation over the holidays as generally accidents dropped. In total last year they had 991 accidents as compared to this year’s 449.
“Despite this fatal accidents, the holidays were calm because even the A1 road did not record any fatality. The above fatal accidents were just unfortunate accidents that could have been avoided if the drivers could have obeyed the road signs,” Mojalemotho said.