Careless driving and wrong manoeuvring were identified as leading contributors to traffic accidents in Rwanda, accounting for 50 per cent of 3,000 reported incidents recorded from January to August this year, according to Rwanda National Police (RNP). Motorcycles have also played a significant role in these accidents, intensifying concerns about road safety across the country, it is noted. ALSO READ: Accidents claimed 19 lives between February and January – Police Information The New Times got from RNP spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga highlights various causes behind the rise in accidents. Among these, improper overtaking and failure to navigate sharp corners were cited as key factors. Careless driving, particularly on sharp corners and during overtaking, often leads to vehicles veering off lanes or crashing, Rutikanga noted. ALSO READ: Three killed in road accident in Kicukiro The statistics reveal that 20 per cent of accidents were a direct result of drivers failing to properly assess corners or attempting risky overtaking manoeuvres. Motorcycles, a common mode of transport in Rwanda, also contributed to the high number of accidents. Efforts by RNP, including the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) speed enforcement cameras, contributed to a significant reduction in traffic accidents, especially those caused by over speeding and drunk driving, he noted. The RNP spokesperson added that a big number of fatal accidents is in rural areas where people are negligent and in the City of Kigali where there is a big number of minor accidents. ALSO READ: Six ways govt plans to mitigate road accidents As noted, Rwanda's topography and the rapid increase in vehicles exacerbate the risk of accidents. Despite ongoing campaigns like Gerayo Amahoro, which targets specific road users including motorcyclists and pedestrians, improper road-user behaviour persists. RNP urges road users to take precautions, particularly when approaching sharp corners, overtaking, and driving in conditions with poor visibility. Passengers are also encouraged to hold drivers accountable, report unprofessional conduct, and ensure their safety by advocating for responsible driving. If you're considering a motorcycle and notice it's not safe, trust your instincts and choose a different one. Passengers must take responsibility, too. If they don’t report drivers with bad habits, we won’t be able to succeed. He added that some passengers leave buses complaining that they were going to kill them, yet they didn't report the issues. “If you refuse to ride with someone whose clothes are dirty, it may encourage them to clean up,” he noted. “Today, we received a report from passengers about a driver who was over speeding. And yesterday we got complaints about another driver who was hiding items under the seats. We caught them, and we appreciate the reports,” he added.
