COMMUTERS PROTEST RTSA FINES

By Lumbiwe Mwanza

IT IS unfair for the Zambia police traffic department or the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to fine motorists for over speeding along roads where road signage is not clear or have not been put up, Commuters’ Rights Association of Zambia (CRAZ) president Arron Kamuti has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Kamuti said that it was unfortunate that for a long time, Zambian motorists had been treated unfairly with regard to road safety regulations.

He feels that institutions such as the Road Development Agency (RDA) or National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) should do more in maintaining the roads by ensuring that most road patches are maintained with proper road signage erected on all road stretches.

“The current status quo on most roads in the country is very worrying. We have insufficient road markings where most road markings have become invisible. In general, we have limited road signage yet motorists are made to pay various road fees through road tax and toll fees, among others. It is important that the two institutions mandated to maintain the roads in the country upscale their efforts in ploughing back the monies towards maintenance of the roads to avoid road accidents.

“It is unfortunate that every day a motorist has to die because of not seeing the road signage. It is high time that motorists stopped being passive in instances where it is necessary. Institutions such as RDA and NRFA should be sued whenever a motorist finds itself in an accident because there was no road marking or road signage to help in regulating speed limits. The Zambia police’s traffic department should also become more considerate in such instances,” Mr. Kamuti said.

However, Transport and Logistics Minister Frank Tayali emphasized that all road users should be alert and adhere to road safety rules.

He said that no life should be lost through road carnage hence the need for all road users to exercise patience and ensure that rules in the Highway Code are observed at all levels.

He further affirmed the Government’s commitment towards ensuring sanity on all roads as the road transport sector played a vital role in economic development.

He said that adhering to the road safety regulations means having a sixth sense all the time while on the road