Few accidents reported on New Year’s Day

Rwandans celebrated the New Year’s Day in more orderly manner.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Rwandans celebrated the New Year’s Day in more orderly manner.

There were no accidents reported as a result of reckless driving through the celebrations that kicked off Monday night in Tuesday morning to usher in the New Year.

Superintendent Robert Niyonshuti, head of Traffic in the Rwanda National Police said yesterday that only few motorcycles were impounded over some traffic offences.
"We have not had any serious cases. The cases we had are the one we always receive. They are not related to the celebrations of the New Year,” Niyonshuti said.

He said that the cases received were less compared to what they expected. Among the few minor accidents reported, a motorcyclist knocked a pedestrian in Nyamirambo as he tried to dodge the police officers ahead of him.

The injured pedestrian was rushed to hospital, the motorist escaped and police seized the motorcycle, according to Niyonshuti.

There were such similar accidents involving motorcyclists in Butare and Remera.
Twenty-five vehicles and twenty motorcycles were impounded by police for breaking traffic rules during Christmas celebrations last week.

Niyonshuti said that some of the vehicles were released after their owners paid fines.
"The drivers were drunk and couldn’t observe the traffic rules, which we feared could cause accidents,” Niyonshuti said.
He said that the drivers were over speeding contrary to the traffic rules. Only six minor cases of accident were reported on Christmas day.
Ends