Suburban
Suburban Reporter
RECKLESS driving along Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Road) continues with police last Friday arresting more than 150 motorists along the road, Chiremba Road and the Mabvuku turn off for driving against oncoming traffic.
The arrest of drivers along Kirkman Road confirms it as one of the dangerous roads in the capital city because in August police summoned 23 motorists to report to them for allegedly going through a red traffic light at the corner of the road and Monavale Road in one day.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged motorists to respect the law saying it was disturbing that some of the reckless drivers were driving Government vehicles.
The motorists were arrested within two hours along Chiremba road, Mabvuku turn-off and Kirkman Road (which has been renamed Solomon Mujuru Drive) for disregarding traffic laws.
“We can confirm that we have arrested more than 150 people for reckless driving this morning (last Friday) and most of them were driving against one way, while endangering other road users. As police we want to warn the motorists to exercise caution and respect road regulations,” Asst Comm Nyathi was quoted saying in the media.
Negligent driving is now a big problem in Harare, with the police blaming the behaviour on unlicenced drivers and reckless drivers who wantonly disregard traffic rules and regulations.
In a public notice in August, police released the names of the drivers, the registration numbers and models of the cars they were driving when they allegedly committed the offence. According to the police, the motorists were captured on camera (in video and picture form) allegedly committing the crime.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is requesting the registered owners and/or drivers of the undermentioned vehicles to report to the Officer-in-Charge ZRP Avondale Traffic as soon as possible to answer to charges of going through a red traffic light at the corner of Monavale Road and Kirkman Road in Belvedere in Harare on Tuesday 24 August 2021.
“Bring copies of your driver’s licence and the registration book of the vehicle in question. Photographs and video footage will be used as evidence,” read the public notice issued by the ZRP Press and Public Relations in conjunction with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (operations department).
Some traffic light controlled intersections in Harare now have cameras which record incidents including flouting of road rules and regulations. Of late, the number of motorists who brazenly shoot through red traffic lights has been rising alarmingly and in some instances resulting in accidents which have claimed lives or left people seriously injured.
