ONGWEDIVA – A total of 80 people lost their lives in road accidents since 15 November 2024, official reports have revealed.
According to statistics released by the Namibian Police, as of 15 November to 5 January, a total of 472 motor vehicle accidents and 918 injuries were recorded, which consequently resulted in 80 people losing their lives on the road.
The latest statistics from the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund indicate that 443 people died in road accidents countrywide last year only.
The data also reveals that there were 3 160 accidents on Namibia’s roads that caused injuries to 5 774 people countrywide during the same period.
In 2023, 3 067 accidents occurred, injured 5 433 people and killed 428.
According to Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, contributing factors include driver fatigue, drunk driving, speeding, reckless and negligent driving, as well as the disregard for traffic regulations.
“Law enforcement intensified efforts during the holiday season, issuing 1867 warnings and over 12 000 summonses,” she said.
She further said 657 vehicles were suspended from the roads for failing to meet safety standards.
Inspector General Joseph Shikongo of the Namibian Police expressed concern about the worsening road safety situation.
“I caution all drivers to adhere to road safety tips and regulations to minimise accidents and avoid trouble with the law,” he emphasised.
He further urged motorists to adhere to traffic regulations, emphasising that police would intensify roadblocks and patrols in hotspot areas to curb reckless behaviour.
MVA Fund CEO Rosalia Martins-Hausiku has also urged all road users to work together to minimise road carnages, especially during this time.
She stated that there are emergency response teams in various areas.
This is so that when accidents occur and things go wrong, there is no delay in the response time.
“The fund launched its new mobile app, which enables you to check claim status, report a road crash and access all MVA Fund-related information at your fingertips. The easy-to-use mobile app is available to the public on both Android and iOS platforms,” she added.
The public is further advised to report road accidents by calling the accident response number, 9682, for assistance.
– vkaapanda@nepc.com.na