Over 350 road fatalities reported this year

TSUMEB, 15 NOV (NAMPA) – Namibian Police Force (NamPol)'s Head of the Traffic Law Enforcement Directorate, Commissioner Petrus Swartz reported that they have recorded 354 fatalities in the whole country from road accidents between January and November 2024..
Swartz was speaking during the launch of this year’s festive season road safety campaign starting on 15 November 2024 and ending on 17 January 2025, held in Tsumeb on Friday.
He said road users are still not complying with road regulations as fatalities remain high.
“Do not wait to see the police for you to comply to the road safety,” urged Swartz.
Swartz further urged pedestrians to take full responsibility and make sure that they do not endanger their lives and those of other road users.
At the same occasion Deputy Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi applauded road users for improving their conduct as over the last two years road fatalities have reduced.
He said the number of fatalities for the 2021 to 2022 festive season decreased by 7 per cent in comparison to the 2022 to 2023 festive season, while the number of collisions and injuries increased by 3 and 6 per cent respectively.
"The number of crashes, injuries and fatalities deceased by 5, 8, and 45 per cent respectively, in comparison to 2022 and 2023 during the festive season," Nekundi said.
He added that with proper planning, dedication and singleness of purpose, they can do much better.
"I call upon all citizens, law enforcement agencies and road safety practitioners to advocate for safer roads in Namibia, especially during this festive season and beyond," Nekundi said.
The Roads Authority representative, Sidney Boois, said many people are killed in the road accident during the festive season every year in Namibia and as a result they have fenced nine farms to reduce farm animals from going into the roads within the region.
He added that they have come up with strategies to reduce the number of fatalities reported every year by joining forces with other road safety stakeholders.
"We urge the public to join forces to curb the high numbers of deaths," Boois said.
(NAMPA)
TG/HP