BULAWAYO – Road traffic accidents and fatalities rose sharply during the 2025 festive season, with police recording nearly double the number of crashes and a significant increase in deaths compared to the same period last year.

According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), 100 people were killed in road traffic accidents between December 15 and 26, 2025, up from 77 deaths recorded over the same period in 2024.

In a statement released on December 29, the ZRP said a total of 2,412 road traffic accidents were recorded during the 12-day period, compared to 1,211 accidents during the same dates last year.

“In 2025, 87 fatal road traffic accidents were recorded, compared to 65 in 2024, while the number of people killed stood at 100, compared to 77 during the same period the previous year. A total of 471 people were injured, compared to 401 in 2024.”

The figures show that fatal accidents increased by 22 cases year-on-year, while injuries rose by 70 compared to the 2024 festive season.

Passengers accounted for the highest number of deaths at 44, followed by pedestrians who recorded 37 fatalities. Drivers accounted for 10 deaths, while four riders, three cyclists, and two people traveling in scotch carts were also killed.

The spike comes despite annual festive season road safety campaigns and heightened police presence on major highways.

In the 2024 festive period, police reported fewer crashes and deaths, raising concerns that compliance with traffic laws has worsened this year.

In previous updates, the ZRP has blamed speeding, reckless overtaking, drunk driving, overloading and the use of unroadworthy vehicles for most serious crashes during peak travel periods, when traffic volumes increase as people travel to rural areas for the holidays.

Police urged motorists and pedestrians to exercise greater caution as end-of-year travel continues, warning that enforcement operations will remain in place in an effort to stem further loss of life on the country’s roads.