Zambia records rise in road accidents in third quarter

Zambia has seen a rise in road accidents in the third quarter of the year, compared with the second quarter, a statement released on Wednesday by the country's road agency. Road traffic accidents rose to 5, 975 in the third quarter of 2011 from 5, 204 in the second quarter, the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), said in the statement. According to the statement, the accidents resulted in the deaths of 450 people, up from the toll of 399 in the second quarter. Mercy Khozi, the road agency's principal publicity officer, said human factor was to blame for the accidents, adding that the crashes were preventable if motorists could begin to adhere to the basic principals of driving on public roads. Drivers, she said, were being tempted to over-speed on roads which have been rehabilitated.