Road users have been warned against violating traffic rules, which Police say, is the major cause of road accidents. Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kabanda. (Courtesy) The warning follows four separate accidents recorded on March 9. Although no life was lost in the accidents, Police say such accidents are avoidable if people abide by traffic rules. One of the accidents occurred in Kicukiro, Nyarugunga Sector, where a car rammed into a residential house. No one in the house was injured but the driver injured his leg and was rushed to hospital. In Byimana Sector, Ruhango District, a motorcyclist veered off the road, injuring himself and a passenger, while in Kageyo Sector, Gatsibo District, a car veered off the road and the driver sustained severe injuries. In another incident, a Fuso truck in Gitovu Sector, Burera District overturned, severely injuring four passengers who were rushed to Ruhengeri Hospital in critical condition. “All these accidents were caused by violation of road safety rules. People need to be responsible while on the road,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kabanda, the Spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety, said. “Police will ensure that road traffic rules are followed by penalising culprits,” he said.Kabanda added that despite the decrease in the number of accidents, there are some road users, especially drivers and motorists, who have continued to breach traffic regulations. “Car owners should take their vehicles for mechanical inspection to avoid accidents that may result from mechanical faults,” he said. Currently, RNP has three mechanical inspection centres. They include Remera in Kigali, Gishari in Rwamagana and a Mobile Test Lane serving car owners operating from the countryside. Kabanda also called upon the public to provide timely information to Police to help curb road accidents. Last year’s meeting that brought together various stakeholders to look into ways of dealing with road carnage, partly resolved that Police and other toll-free line be displayed in public vehicles so that passengers can report reckless drivers. CIP Kabanda appealed to passengers to use these numbers to report “defiant drivers” to save life.
