Sharp rise in Easter accidents

THE Roads Authority yesterday revealed that 106 road accidents occurred during its Easter road-safety campaign, which resulted in 30 deaths.

According to Police Deputy Commissioner James Tjivikua, this represents a 66 per cent increase compared to the 18 fatalities recorded last year. Operation Ngambeka (Stay within the limit), as the programme was named, ran between April 10 and 18, with its main objective being to reduce road accidents.More than half of the fatalities – 53 per cent – were reported in the coastal Erongo Region, followed by the Otjozondjupa Region, which accounted for 14 per cent of the deaths.This was followed by the Kunene Region with 10 per cent of all the road deaths, and the Omusati and Ohangwena regions which both accounted for seven per cent.No fatalities were recorded in the Khomas, Hardap, Kavango, Caprivi and Oshikoto regions.”It is disturbing to note that about 90 per cent of these fatalities happened as a direct result of non-compliance with the prescribed traffic norms, standards, laws and regulations,” Tjivikua said after reading the figures.He added that most of these accidents could have been prevented, had motorists “voluntarily” complied with traffic laws.A total of 11 377 vehicles were stopped at various checkpoints, with 12 per cent (1 399) of them found guilty of traffic violations.Operation Ngambeka was run in conjunction with the Roads Authority, NamPol, the Windhoek Municipality, the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA), the Road Safety Council and Namibia Breweries.MVA CEO Jerry Muadinohamba said the MVA had paid N$7 000 to the families of the 11 people who died in a road accident between Karibib and Usakos last Thursday evening.Operation Ngambeka (Stay within the limit), as the programme was named, ran between April 10 and 18, with its main objective being to reduce road accidents.More than half of the fatalities – 53 per cent – were reported in the coastal Erongo Region, followed by the Otjozondjupa Region, which accounted for 14 per cent of the deaths.This was followed by the Kunene Region with 10 per cent of all the road deaths, and the Omusati and Ohangwena regions which both accounted for seven per cent.No fatalities were recorded in the Khomas, Hardap, Kavango, Caprivi and Oshikoto regions.”It is disturbing to note that about 90 per cent of these fatalities happened as a direct result of non-compliance with the prescribed traffic norms, standards, laws and regulations,” Tjivikua said after reading the figures.He added that most of these accidents could have been prevented, had motorists “voluntarily” complied with traffic laws.A total of 11 377 vehicles were stopped at various checkpoints, with 12 per cent (1 399) of them found guilty of traffic violations.Operation Ngambeka was run in conjunction with the Roads Authority, NamPol, the Windhoek Municipality, the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA), the Road Safety Council and Namibia Breweries.MVA CEO Jerry Muadinohamba said the MVA had paid N$7 000 to the families of the 11 people who died in a road accident between Karibib and Usakos last Thursday evening.