PRESS STATEMENT ON THE 2025 EASTER HOLIDAY ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT STATISTICS
During this year’s Easter Holiday, a total of 326 road traffic accidents were recorded countrywide. Of these, twenty-one (21) were fatal road traffic accidents in which twenty-three (23) people lost their lives. Forty-three (43) were classified as serious road traffic accidents, resulting in eighty-one (81) people sustaining serious injuries, while sixty-one (61) were slight road traffic accidents in which ninety-two (92) people were slightly injured. Additionally, two hundred and one (201) accidents were recorded as damage-only incidents.
In comparison with the 2024 Easter Holiday, a total number of 338 road traffic accidents were recorded as compared to 326 in this year’s Easter Holiday. The figures show a decrease of twelve (12) road traffic accidents.
In 2024, twenty-four (24) fatal road traffic accidents were recorded in which thirty-two (32) persons were killed, compared to twenty-one (21) fatal road traffic accidents where twenty-three (23) persons were killed in this year’s Easter Holiday. The records show a decrease in both fatal road traffic accidents and persons killed by three (03) and nine (09) respectively.
Serious road traffic accidents increased from twenty-six (26) in 2024, where fifty-nine (59) persons were seriously injured, to forty-three (43) this year with eighty-one (81) persons seriously injured. This indicates an increase in serious road traffic accidents by seventeen (17) and in persons seriously injured by twenty-two (22).
Slight road traffic accidents decreased from seventy-eight (78) in 2024 to sixty-one (61) in 2025, showing a decrease of seventeen (17) accidents. However, the number of persons slightly injured increased marginally from ninety-one (91) to ninety-two (92), showing an increase by one (01).
On damage only road traffic accidents, two hundred and ten (210) were recorded in 2024 as compared to two hundred and one (201) in 2025. The records show a decrease by nine (09) damage only road traffic accidents.
Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents with one hundred and nine (109), Copperbelt recorded ninety-seven (97), Central recorded forty-nine (49), Southern had thirty-three (33), Eastern recorded seventeen (17), North-Western had twelve (12), Northern had eight (08), Muchinga had seven (07), while Western and Luapula recorded the least with six (06) road traffic accidents each.
A total number of 2,044 road traffic offences were recorded during the 2025 Easter Holiday, raising a sum of K 840,420.00 in admission of guilt fines, compared to 1,528 offences recorded in 2024, where K 672,860.00 was raised. The records show an increase in road traffic offences by five hundred and sixteen (516) and an increase in admission of guilt fines collected by K167,560.00.
Most road traffic accidents during the 2025 Easter Holiday were attributed to human error, such as excessive speed, misjudging clearance distance, negligent reversing, cutting-in, and failure to keep to the nearside, among others. Most accidents occurred on Fridays and Saturdays, coinciding with higher traffic volumes on these days.
The reduction in overall road traffic accidents in 2025 is attributed to continued enforcement and road safety sensitisation measures undertaken during the holiday period. The Zambia Police Service remains committed to reducing road traffic accidents and saving lives on our roads.
Godfrey Chilabi
ASSISTANT PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
22nd April 2025