Rwanda Police committed to road safety

Editor,This is with reference to the letter, Curb indiscipline on Rwandan roads, written by one Zahra Wahid, published in The New Timesissue of Saturday, November 16, 2013, expressing a hitch he encountered in Rwanda due to a reckless driver of the vehicle he was traveling in, putting his life and that of others, in danger.It is unfortunate that the author went through this life-threatening moment in Rwanda. The RNP appreciates the views given and concerns raised. However, we would like to assure you and all friends of Rwanda that road accidents are actually not a major problem in the country as you put it.To prevent road carnage and other associated accidents, a number of strategies to improve road safety in the country were put in place. All stakeholders including government institutions, transport agencies and even insurance companies work together towards achieving road safety.Some of these measures include increased presence of officers on highways and hotspots, increased highway patrols (vehicles and motorcycles) to reinforce traffic-flow control on these roads and the establishment of the Mechanical Inspection Centre (MIC) (including a mobile test lane which operates in the countryside), to check, periodically, the mechanical status of automobiles and erecting signposts in hotspots.The government has also embarked on constructing and renovating roads.Furthermore, Rwanda National Police established toll-free lines to report such reckless drivers, 113 for traffic related cases, 112 for any emergency and even 3511 for any abuse by a police officer and this has become a tradition among the public.Let me also remind the readers that the RNP recently launched online customer services where complaints, compliments, crime reporting and interaction on social media using twitter. Please visit www.police.gov.rw or write to us on info@police.gov.rwThe RNP would like once again to appreciate and welcome the views and concerns of the people living, working or travelling in Rwanda aimed at enhancing our service delivery.Damas Gatare, ACP Police Spokesperson

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Rwanda Police committed to road safety