Traffic Week kicks off

The Annual Traffic Week commenced on Sunday with the Traffic Police chief, Vincent Sano, calling on road users to be more observant and respectful to traffic rules and regulations.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012
IGP Emmanuel Gasana(C) sprays paint to mark the beginning of Road safety week at Kimihurura as State Minister in charge of Transport, Alex Nzahabwanimana, looks on. The New Times

The Annual Traffic Week commenced on Sunday with the Traffic Police chief, Vincent Sano, calling on road users to be more observant and respectful to traffic rules and regulations.Sano said that although there has been a decrease in the number of road accidents, contempt of traffic rules still contributes to road accidents."There must be respect for every road user and in the same measure, traffic rules...as we educate, we are also coming up with stringent measures for those who flout the rules,” Sano said.He explained that during the week, various activities will be carried out with focus on road safety education to avoid accidents and loss of lives.Reports indicate that in 2010, 438 road accidents were recorded while 392 accidents were recorded last year. The reduction of cases has been attributed to stringent measures in place.They include, among others, the Motor Vehicle Inspection Centre that is in charge of ensuring that vehicles on the road are in proper mechanical conditions, as well as fighting reckless driving.Sano said that although cases have reduced, road accidents recorded towards the end of the year were still high, especially towards or during the festive season."This is the very reason we decided that this campaign should start this time when we record many accidents,” he said. China Road Construction and Bridge Cooperation, one of the companies in road construction is among the key partners in the campaign. Li Jianbo the company’s general manager in Rwanda, said that among other activities, the company will support, in putting more road humps and zebra crossings during the course of the week.