RTSA Commends PSV Driver For Saving Lives Of 23 Passengers

RTSA has commended the bus driver for Kondwani Bus Service limited saving the lives of his 23 passengers when he avoided an accident by hitting into cattles.

On Friday last week, a Marcopolo Scania Irizar Bus belonging to Kondwani Bus Services which was being driven by Deus Mwenya was involved in a road traffic accident along the Mongu – Senenga Road in Western Province after the driver of the bus hit into fourteen (14) cows where twelve (12) died on the spot.

According to a statement issued by RTSA Head of Public Relations Frederick Mubanga, the investigations revealed that the accident happened as a result of the failure by the cattle handlers who did not warn the driver about crossing animals.

“The probable cause of the crash was attributed to non-adherence of rule No. 61 of the Zambian Highway Code, on the part of the cattle handlers,” stated the RTSA report.

“There was no one to warn the driver on the crossing of the animals on the road as the animals were crossing the road just before the descent and could not be noticed at a reasonable distance by the driver of the Bus. Further, Section 209 (1) provides that, subject to the provisions of subsection (2), no person shall leave or permit any animal to be on any road and no person shall leave any such animal in a place from which it may stray on to such road.”

And RTSA Director and Chief Executive Officer Gladwell Banda has commended the driver for saving people’s lives.

Banda said while the loss of the animals is regrettable, the driver made the right choice by sacrificing to kill the animals and saving the lives of the people.

Meanwhile, Banda has directed Khondwani Bus Services to activate the Global Position System (GPS) on the bus in compliance with the law as it was deactivated at the time of the accident.

Meanwhile, RTSA as has warned and caution Straight Lines Investment against the revocation of the Road Service Licence (RSL) following a road accident on 19th January 2021 along the Kitwe-Chingola road, Chambishi area on the Copperbelt Province in which one (1) person died and 21 sustained injuries.

He said the Agency has since engaged the operator to assist the company in developing a fleet management police in a bid to improve its road safety profile.

This article originally appeared on Mwebantu