Road fatalities decline by 8% year-to-date
Statistics by the MVA Fund show road fatalities declined by 8% to 95 between 01 January and 24 March 2021, down from the 103 seen in 2020 during the same period.
Crashes on the road declined by 3% from 721 in 2020 to 698 while injuries declined by 3% from 1205 to 1165.
Over recent years, there has been a positive downward trend in crash statistics. A significant change for the same period was noted in 2020, as compared to 2019, where crashes, injuries and fatalities declined by 6%, 2% and 26% respectively.
MVA Fund CEO, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku said the Independence Day long weekend did not go too well on the road as 14 lives were lost between Friday, 19 March, and Monday, 22 March 2021.
“Last year (2020), the results are different due to lockdown at the time and there was no long weekend associated to the celebration. Therefore, it goes without saying that long weekends are associated with high road deaths and as Namibians, we need to do the right thing,” Martins-Hausiku said.
With the Easter long weekend just around the corner, Martins-Hausiku urged the public to utilize the Fund’s new accident response number, 9682.
“With the “Zero fatalities” recorded last Easter due to lockdown, the Fund urges all Namibians to join hands and make road safety their responsibility so we may improve the trend of crashes during long weekend holidays,” she added.
