Commissioner of Police Rafiki Mujiji, the Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety department Friday revealed that 2,597 people were arrested over drunk driving in 2019. He showcased this in a press conference at the Police Head Quarters in Kacyiru to highlight the road safety situation during the past year, and plans for the year 2020,. Mujiji noted that 12,755 traffic violation tickets were issued for over-speeding, and 30,042 were issued to vehicles that didn’t go for mechanical inspection. Journalist from different media houses at a press conference organised by Rwanda National Police. With the contribution of the 52-week long road safety awareness campaign, Gerayo Amahoro, which was launched on May 19 last year, the number of road accidents decreased to 4,661 cases in 2019, from 5,661 that were recorded in 2018, an equivalent of 17 percent reduction. Driving under alcohol influence, over speeding and mechanically unsound vehicles, the lead causes of road accidents, were some of the key reasons Gerayo Amahoro was implemented. Its implementation saw a 42 percent reduction in fatal accidents caused by the three. Mujiji explained that the fatal accidents in 2019 were to some extent influenced by the Christmas downpour that claimed lives of some people, and that no fatal accident had been recorded since December 1 so far. However, pedestrians top the list of the most affected road users, with a record of 223 fatalities. Motorcyclists and bicyclists follow, with 184 and 130 fatalities, respectively. Whereas 412 driving tests were conducted, 137,811 driving permits were issued, and 186,636 mechanical inspections were conducted, 309,970 traffic tickets were issued. Mujiji indicated that it takes an average of 11 minutes for the police to respond to an emergency. The way forward, is that the Police seeks to; educate the identified vulnerable road users, implement Problem-Oriented Policing, and have a sustained and strong law enforcement organisation.
