Fifteen people died in two road accidents in Chivhu and Kwekwe yesterday after the vehicles they were travelling in burst rear tyres.
National Traffic Police spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome told NewsDay in the Kwekwe accident, all seven passengers and the driver died on the spot.
“The Toyota Siera they were travelling in burst its rear right tyre and the driver lost control and encroached onto the right lane, facing oncoming traffic. It collided head-on with a Tata lorry and was dragged for about 20 metres, killing all occupants,” said Chigome.
The Chivhu accident involved a commuter omnibus at around 6am, travelling to Harare at the 95-kilometre peg.
“After the tyre burst, the driver also lost control, forcing the vehicle to veer off the road and rolled three times, throwing passengers out.
“Five of them died on the spot and two more on arrival at Chivhu General Hospital,” said Chigome. The injured, including the driver, were by last night still admitted at the hospital.
Chigome said it was likely that the drivers were speeding, adding that had they been travelling at recommended speed limits, they would most likely have managed to control the vehicles.
He also accused motorists of buying tyres not suitable for local roads and weather conditions. “So many of our motorists are importing tyres, which are not ideal for Zimbabwean roads, just because they are cheap.
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The result is loss of lives, something which can easily be avoided,” he said. The two accidents came barely a month after two equally horrific crashes killed 33 passengers in Nyazura and Concession.
