Govt urged to compel public transporters against travelling at night

—-Senior Chief Nsokolo of the Mambwe people in Mbala district in Northern Province has appealed to government through the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to enforce laws that will compel public transporters to avoid travelling at night in order to avert deaths arising from road traffic accidents.

The traditional leader bemoaned that road traffic accidents have claimed the lives of more than 100 people in his chiefdom since last year.

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS by Chief Nsokolo’s Spokesperson, Jeff Kapambwe.

Chief Nsokolo has attributed the escalating road traffic accidents to fatigue by bus drivers that are forced to drive long hours without resting.

He noted that while most bus operators sought to make money from their crew travelling in the night and later continue during the day, there is need for government and the RTSA to initiate a deliberate policy in which all public transport will be compelled to travel from early morning and reach their destinations before dusk.

He said this will allow drivers to rest for the next day’s trip and consequently help preserve the lives of the travelling public.

“These accidents can be avoided if the government changed the law compelling all buses and other public transporters to move from as early as 06.00hrs to 18.00 hrs as this will help reduce road accidents,” Chief Nsokolo said.