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NewsDay

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Rail accidents, suicides claim 300 lives

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THE National Railways of Zimbabwe has said over 300 people have lost their lives in the past few years on the country’s rails through either suicide or accidents.

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe has said over 300 people have lost their lives in the past few years on the country’s rails through either suicide or accidents.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

NRZ public manager, Fanuel Masikati urged people to be cautious on the rail and to stop risky behaviour such as ploughing or panning along the railway.

“An analysis of recorded statistical figures of people who died after throwing themselves in front of on-coming trains reveals that from January 2007 to February 2015, the country lost 147 people in suicidal cases, a trend which is very much disturbing,” Masikati said in a statement.

On the other hand, from January 2007 to December 2013, 167 people died and 581 were injured at rail/road level crossings. We therefore, urge all drivers to put on a human face when driving on our roads, so as to protect and save precious and irreplaceable human lives.”

This came at a time when six people were injured when a Nissan Caravan motor vehicle rammed onto a passenger train which was travelling from Chinhoyi to Harare on Tuesday morning at Banket level crossing. According to NRZ the injured people were ferried to Banket hospital where they were treated and discharged.

“It is saddening to note that accidents continue to occur at rail/road level crossings and undesignated rail level crossings, despite the fact that all drivers of both light and heavy vehicles are aware of the need to exercise extreme caution, whenever they are approaching rail/road level crossings, throughout the country,” Masikati said.

NRZ also appealed to motorists and public transport drivers to exercise extreme care and caution when approaching rail/road level crossings and to always observe rules as they were taught at driving schools.