Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has warned drivers against reckless driving which has over the past been blamed for dangerous road accidents which claim lives and destroy property.

 The warning was made following three road accidents that happened on June 21 which left two people dead and two others with serious injuries. The injured were rushed to hospital for medical treatments.

 Two of the recorded accidents occurred in Gasabo district while another one took place in Musanze District.

 Chief Inspector of Police (CIP), Emmanuel Kabanda, the spokesperson for traffic and Road Safety department, said that investigations pointed to careless driving as the main cause of the accidents and sternly warned drivers to take greater precaution and respect traffic rules.

 “Some drivers are simply defiant to traffic rules. Some of them do not even bother stopping or slowing down at zebra crossings and traffic lights. We have recorded many cases where people were knocked by over speeding drivers,” said CIP Kabanda.

 “Driving or cycling requires complete attention; therefore, acts like eating, talking or texting on cell phones while driving are distractive and highly discouraged. People who are more observant are more likely to focus while driving and thus avoid accidents.”

 He advised pedestrians to be cautious and not be distracted especially when crossing the road or walking on pavements.

 He also urged road users to partner with police by providing timely information through the use of toll free numbers; 112 for emergency services, 113 for road accidents and 3511 to report an injustice either caused by drivers or traffic police officers.

 RNP carries out regular outreach programs to road users, including vehicle owners and motorcycle operators, to promote road safety initiatives and partnerships with the public through community policing.

 The annual road traffic week is geared towards enforcing  road traffic rules and ultimately ensure road safety.