Parliament yesterday recommended the ban of spot fines by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the prohibition of importation of second-hand tyres — a major contributor to traffic accidents in Zimbabwe.
VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
The recommendations were made by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development in the National Assembly when chairman of the committee Epworth MP Amos Midzi (Zanu PF) presented their first report on the causes of road carnage.
The report said the ZRP seemed to prioritise collecting spot fines in order to reach set targets instead of passenger safety and after collecting fines they allowed unroadworthy vehicles to proceed.
“Spot fines and the ‘alleged’ targets by the ZRP should be abolished and offenders must be given seven days to pay the fine as written on the tickets currently issued by police, while spot fines must be applied to foreigners only,” Midzi said.
“The current position where police prefer to fine buses or commuter omnibuses for serious defects and let them proceed with their journey has a bearing on the safety of passengers and there is need for the ZRP to prioritise passenger safety over meeting revenue targets.”
Other recommendations by the committee were that government must increase the fines charged for traffic offences so that they would be deterrent enough, as well as enactment of appropriate regulations on driving hours, vehicle movements, and restrictions on tractors and other farming equipment, construction equipment and tankers carrying hazardous substances not to move at night.
The committee said to curb corruption, Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) officers and traffic police officers should periodically be transferred, adding the police should be well equipped with breathalysers to test drunken drivers. On drivers themselves, the committee recommendations were that the use of cellphones while driving should be outlawed and culprits slapped with stiff penalties.
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“The ZRP and VID should be trained in the Traffic Act and other statutory instruments to do with traffic, and the training should include drivers and owners of public service vehicles,” Midzi said.
The committee further said there should be enforcement of traffic laws as well as crafting of a new Highway Code to include night driving and global trends in driving, as well as clear markings and signage on the country’s roads.
“There should be impounding of stray livestock on roads, and very stiff penalties on public service drivers who break the law. Operators who employ public service drivers who are below 25 years should be charged,” the committee said.
The committee also recommended that there was need for the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration to erect perimeter fences on highways from funds collected from toll fees, adding there should be regulations to stipulate a timeframe that a brokendown vehicle should spend on the road before removal as these caused serious accidents.
