Road deaths lower in 2003 - Report

There were fewer road deaths in 2003 than in the previous year, provisional police reports show. Three hundred and twenty one people died last year as compared to 329 in 2002.

Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Public Relations Officer, Senior Inspector Mpota Nthako said of the 321 people who died, most were pedestrians while in 2002 those who died had been passengers in vehicles. Senior Inspector Nthako told LENA that by the end of 2003, 3 524 road accidents had been reported in the country compared to 3 412, which occurred in 2002, showing an increase of more than 100.

He said there were 2 116 people were injured in 2003 as compared to 2,125 the previous year. But there were more vehicles damaged last year than in the preceding year, with over five thousand vehicles damaged last year compared to 4 955 in 2002.

Maseru led with 114 road accidents in 2003 and 123 accidents the previous year while Qacha's Nek had the least number of accidents with seven and four in 2002.

Speed has been identified as the major cause of the accidents and deaths, Senior Inspector Nthako said, adding that another cause was drivers ignoring road signs. Police strengthened road patrols to help reduce the accidents as well as increasing the number of speed traps and random breathalyser tests.

A more comprehensive report was expected later and might show slight changes in the statistics, Senior Inspector Nthako said.

4 January 2004