At a joint workshop organised by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, motorists were warned to stop using mobile phones while driving. The workshop carried the message “Don’t phone, text and drive”.
In recent weeks, traffic police officers especially in Harare have been arresting motorists caught attending to their phones while in traffic. Drivers have reported they are being fined $30 for the offence.
According to some drivers, ZRP officers have been arresting drivers when they attend to their smartphones at traffic lights or in traffic logjams. Officers have told motorists after such arrests that as long as the engine is running, attending to one’s phone is a traffic offence and it doesn’t matter that the vehicle itself is stationery.
At the recent workshop, Deputy Minister Joshua Sacco said distracted driving is any action that takes attention away from the road. He explained that texting is especially dangerous because it forces drivers to look away from the road use their hands and think about the message instead of driving. He warned that when a driver looks down to text they are risking their life and the lives of others.
Harare Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Charles Tawengwa said road accidents affect everyone. He explained that crashes destroy families and harm whole communities. He added that road safety is a shared responsibility and all road users must play their part.
Mobile network operators transport organisations and other stakeholders also attended the workshop. They agreed to support road safety education and stronger enforcement of traffic laws. They said the number of fatal accidents linked to phone use while driving is worrying and must be reduced.
The problem is made worse by weak enforcement uneven policing and a culture where many drivers see phone use while driving as normal. This continues even though the law already bans the use of handheld phones while driving.
Around the world distracted driving kills thousands of people every year. In the United States more than 3000 people died in 2023 due to distracted driving with many cases involving mobile phones. More than 30 countries ban handheld phone use while driving. Countries like the United Kingdom and Japan enforce these laws with heavy fines and penalty points.
Studies show that bans can reduce visible phone use at first but accidents do not always drop at the same rate. Some drivers switch to hands free or try to hide their phone use. This is still dangerous because talking on the phone distracts the mind.
Zimbabwe efforts match what is happening globally but more work is needed. There must be consistent policing strong public awareness campaigns and cooperation with mobile network operators to promote safer behaviour.
Source: TechZim
