The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has released new details of two major road traffic accidents that claimed seven lives and injured fifteen people along the Harare–Bulawayo Road in a space of just three days, further highlighting the deepening crisis of road carnage in the country. With official statistics showing that Zimbabwe loses an average of five people per day to road traffic accidents, authorities say the latest incidents mark yet another dark and painful week for the nation.
In its latest traffic bulletin, the ZRP confirmed a deadly crash that occurred on 18 November 2025 at approximately 11:00 AM at the 178-kilometre peg near Battlefields. Four people were killed on the spot, while eleven others sustained varying degrees of injuries after a Nissan Caravan kombi, carrying fourteen passengers, veered off the road and overturned. According to police, the tragedy unfolded after the vehicle’s left rear tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control.
The kombi reportedly swerved violently before plunging off the tarmac and landing on its roof, trapping several passengers inside. Emergency responders and passersby battled to retrieve survivors from the wreckage as the injured cried for help. For family members awaiting their loved ones at destinations along the route, the news delivered a devastating blow at a time when road ambush robberies, mechanical failures, and poor driving habits continue to threaten commuters’ safety.
Tyre bursts have become a recurring factor in long-distance road accidents, especially involving public service vehicles. Heavy loads, worn-out tyres, and high-speed driving on hot tar surfaces have frequently been cited by road safety experts as contributing factors. The Battlefields accident has now reignited calls for stricter enforcement of vehicle condition checks and driver compliance, particularly for kombis and private operators who transport passengers daily.
ZRP Releases Grim Details of Fatal Crashes as Road Carnage Claims More Lives Across Zimbabwe
Just two days earlier, on 16 November 2025, another horrific accident along the same highway claimed three more lives. This time, the collision occurred at around 20:30 PM near the Bradford turn-off in Harare. According to the ZRP, a Toyota Hilux GD6 vehicle carrying three passengers was involved in a head-on collision with a Nissan NV200 carrying four people.
The impact of the crash was catastrophic. Three people died instantly, while four others sustained serious injuries. Photographs taken after the accident showed both vehicles extensively damaged, with crumpled metal, shattered windscreens, and debris strewn across the road. Police say preliminary investigations suggest that one of the vehicles may have encroached into the oncoming lane, though full details are still being compiled.
The ZRP has pledged to release more information as investigations into both accidents progress. In the meantime, the tragedies have once again thrust Zimbabwe’s road safety crisis into national focus. The Harare–Bulawayo Road, one of the busiest highways in the country, has long been identified as a hotspot for fatal crashes due to high traffic volumes, speeding, reckless overtaking, and occasional livestock intrusion.
Statistics from the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and the police consistently paint a troubling picture. The country loses an estimated 2,000 lives annually to road crashes—equivalent to around five deaths every day. Thousands more are left with life-changing injuries. Experts attribute the high accident rate to a combination of human error, poor road conditions, substandard vehicle maintenance, and limited enforcement of traffic laws.
As the nation grapples with yet another cluster of preventable deaths, safety advocates are urging drivers to slow down, exercise caution, and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on long journeys. The ZRP has also issued fresh warnings to public transport operators, reminding them that overloading, speeding, and negligence will be met with arrests and stiff penalties.
For the families of the victims, however, these measures come too late. Their grief underscores the human cost behind the statistics—parents who will not return home, children who will grow up without their loved ones, and communities left to mourn lives cut short on the country’s highways.
As investigations continue, Zimbabweans are once again confronted with painful questions about what more can be done to curb the relentless bloodshed on the roads. For now, the week’s tragic toll stands as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for collective responsibility—among drivers, transport operators, road authorities, and law enforcement agencies—to save lives and restore safety on the country’s roads.
Source- Mob
