Government has intensified calls for stricter road safety compliance, with authorities warning that mobile phone use while driving is contributing significantly to Zimbabwe’s rising road fatalities.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister, Hon. Joshua K. Sacco, made the call on Tuesday while officiating at an All-Stakeholders Road Safety Workshop held at Cresta Lodge Msasa in Harare.
The workshop, organised jointly by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, brought together government officials, regulators, mobile network operators, transport associations and road safety advocates.
In his keynote address, Hon. Sacco described the country’s roads as “silent battlefields,” citing the high number of fatal crashes recorded annually.
“Despite the massive investments in road infrastructure by the Second Republic, lives continue to be lost unnecessarily due to reckless behaviour, particularly the use of mobile phones while driving,” he said.
The Deputy Minister singled out texting as the most dangerous form of distraction, noting that it simultaneously diverts a driver’s visual, manual and cognitive attention from the road.
“Texting while driving is especially alarming because it removes the driver’s eyes, hands and mind from the task of driving,” he said.
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Hon. Sacco called for a nationwide commitment towards zero preventable road deaths, urging all motorists to prioritise safety over convenience.
“I appeal to every driver to silence their phone before starting a journey and commit to arriving alive rather than answering immediately,” he said.
He also challenged telecommunications companies to play a more active role in road safety by developing and promoting technological solutions, including applications that automatically disable certain phone functions when a vehicle is in motion.
The workshop was held under the theme “Don’t Phone, Text, and Drive.”
Addressing the same gathering, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner Nyathi confirmed that law enforcement agencies would step up enforcement of laws prohibiting the use of mobile devices while driving.
“The police will actively enforce these laws to change behaviour and embed a culture of safety on our roads,” he said.
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