Fewer car crashes this Christmas
The number of fatal car crashes over the Christmas weekend was about 25% less than last year.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Car accident statistics for the Christmas weekend show a notable decline in crashes, injuries and fatalities compared to the 2016 Christmas weekend.
The Motor Vehicle (MVA) Fund confirmed that for the period 22 to 26 December 2017, a total of 68 car accidents were reported around the country, 23% less than the 89 crashes reported over the same period last year.
Injuries decreased by 25% this long weekend, totalling 130 compared to the 174 reported during the same period last year.
Fatalities decreased by 45%, down from 24 to 13 between Friday and Tuesday.
Nevertheless, several car accidents led to loss of lives and new police cases since Friday, and several were linked to drunk and reckless driving.
At least four pedestrians died after being hit by a car.
A 28-year-old man, Kamburu Frans, died after he was hit by a Toyota pick-up in Rundu on Saturday. The driver fled and has not yet been arrested.
In a similar case, police are requesting information after the body of an unidentified man was discovered on the Rundu and Okongo main road over the weekend.
Police suspect he was hit by a car and that the driver fled the scene.
In Ohangwena the 26-year-old driver of a Toyota pick-up crashed into Lazarus Fikameni Mwatwange from Ongaiva village, killing him. The driver was charged with culpable homicide.
Another case of culpable homicide was opened against a 27-year-old driver in Oshakati, after he crashed into Albert Natangwe (27) with his Toyota Land Cruiser.
“The driver was under the influence of alcohol,” the Namibian Police crime report confirmed.
A case of culpable homicide was opened after a passenger (56) died in a car travelling from Keetmanshoop to Mariental on Saturday. The victim was a Chinese national, and was part of a group of six other Chinese travelling in the car.
The accident happened after the driver lost control of the Toyota double cab, which overturned.
Police also confirmed that an unlicensed taxi driver, identified as Nanghonga Anderson Letu, died instantly after losing control of the vehicle on David Hosea Meroro Road near the Rocky Crest residential area on Sunday.
Other passengers in the white Toyota Viz sustained minor injuries.
Latokoa Albertina Gabriel (28) died when a car she was a passenger in overturned on the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay on Friday.
A case of reckless and negligent driving and driving without a driver’s licence was opened on Friday against a 23-year-old woman, who was arrested after she had crashed into a pedestrian at Hoachanas.
Another driver fled the scene at Gibeon, but was later arrested, after he crashed his car into a house wall while under the influence of alcohol.
An Iveco bus carrying 23 passengers overturned after a tyre burst on the Ongwediva and Ondangwa main road on Tuesday morning.
Two passengers sustained serious injuries while 21 others sustained minor injuries.
Car accident statistics for the Christmas weekend show a notable decline in crashes, injuries and fatalities compared to the 2016 Christmas weekend.
The Motor Vehicle (MVA) Fund confirmed that for the period 22 to 26 December 2017, a total of 68 car accidents were reported around the country, 23% less than the 89 crashes reported over the same period last year.
Injuries decreased by 25% this long weekend, totalling 130 compared to the 174 reported during the same period last year.
Fatalities decreased by 45%, down from 24 to 13 between Friday and Tuesday.
Nevertheless, several car accidents led to loss of lives and new police cases since Friday, and several were linked to drunk and reckless driving.
At least four pedestrians died after being hit by a car.
A 28-year-old man, Kamburu Frans, died after he was hit by a Toyota pick-up in Rundu on Saturday. The driver fled and has not yet been arrested.
In a similar case, police are requesting information after the body of an unidentified man was discovered on the Rundu and Okongo main road over the weekend.
Police suspect he was hit by a car and that the driver fled the scene.
In Ohangwena the 26-year-old driver of a Toyota pick-up crashed into Lazarus Fikameni Mwatwange from Ongaiva village, killing him. The driver was charged with culpable homicide.
Another case of culpable homicide was opened against a 27-year-old driver in Oshakati, after he crashed into Albert Natangwe (27) with his Toyota Land Cruiser.
“The driver was under the influence of alcohol,” the Namibian Police crime report confirmed.
A case of culpable homicide was opened after a passenger (56) died in a car travelling from Keetmanshoop to Mariental on Saturday. The victim was a Chinese national, and was part of a group of six other Chinese travelling in the car.
The accident happened after the driver lost control of the Toyota double cab, which overturned.
Police also confirmed that an unlicensed taxi driver, identified as Nanghonga Anderson Letu, died instantly after losing control of the vehicle on David Hosea Meroro Road near the Rocky Crest residential area on Sunday.
Other passengers in the white Toyota Viz sustained minor injuries.
Latokoa Albertina Gabriel (28) died when a car she was a passenger in overturned on the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay on Friday.
A case of reckless and negligent driving and driving without a driver’s licence was opened on Friday against a 23-year-old woman, who was arrested after she had crashed into a pedestrian at Hoachanas.
Another driver fled the scene at Gibeon, but was later arrested, after he crashed his car into a house wall while under the influence of alcohol.
An Iveco bus carrying 23 passengers overturned after a tyre burst on the Ongwediva and Ondangwa main road on Tuesday morning.
Two passengers sustained serious injuries while 21 others sustained minor injuries.
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