Source: Govt hands over speed trap cameras to ZRP – herald
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT will today hand over breathalysers, breathalyser printers and speed trap cameras to the Zimbabwe Republic Police for use on the country’s major highways to curb road carnage.
The gadgets will be used starting from this weekend.
The deployment of the high-tech equipment comes ahead of the festive season holidays, when road accidents traditionally increase as a result of high traffic volumes on the roads, alcohol abuse, fatigue and reckless driving.
The roll out will also mark the first large-scale use of modern and high-tech road safety enforcement technology in the country and will be supported by a new fleet of operational vehicles for the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), expected to be unveiled later this week.
The vehicles are expected to strengthen roadside inspections, enforce vehicle fitness regulations, and support joint law enforcement operations. In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said the equipment and the vehicles will be handed over to both the police and VID officials by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona in Harare.
Minister Mhona recently told The Herald that the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), working with the police, had finalised the procurement and technical specifications of breathalysers and speed cameras.
The equipment, he said, will help authorities clamp down on drivers who violate speed limits and drive under the influence of alcohol—two of the leading causes of fatal crashes on Zimbabwe’s roads.
“These measures will strengthen a culture of road discipline, reduce accidents, and enhance public safety across the transport network,” said Minister Mhona.
“Road safety in Zimbabwe remains a critical concern, with rising incidents of road crashes affecting lives and livelihoods.”
He added that the Government had elevated road safety to a national development priority aligned with the SADC Road Safety Action Plan, the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), soon transitioning to NDS2.
He said targeted interventions are being implemented through partnerships with key agencies, including the procurement of evidential breathalysers and printers already handed over to the ZRP.
“Over 94 percent of road accidents in Zimbabwe are attributed to human error,” Minister Mhona said.
“In response, TSCZ has partnered with State institutions to implement targeted interventions, including the procurement of evidential breathalysers and breathalyser printers, and roll out and handover to the ZRP.”
The Government is also working on legislation to establish a Road Accident Fund, with Cabinet already approving guiding principles.
In addition, plans are underway to transform the TSCZ from a promotional body into a fully-fledged Road Traffic Safety Agency with powers to arrest, issue tickets, investigate accidents and recommend systemic improvements.
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