A whopping 53 percent of road accidents in the first half of 2023 involved motorcyclists and cyclists, prompting the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to issue a call for action to combat incidences of reckless riders by raising awareness of the need of adhering to traffic laws.
Police reports show that during the same time period, 2,322 accidents just involving motorbikes resulted in 98 fatalities and 46 serious injuries.
Police officers will meet with bikers and motorcyclists at various stations and highways as part of the new program, which started on Tuesday, September 5, to inform them about safer road usage. The RNP spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Boniface Rutikanga, emphasized the necessity of this special awareness campaign by saying, “The high number of road accidents involving motorcyclists and cyclists has called for a special awareness campaign to address their reckless behaviors, which lead to loss of lives and destruction of property.”
Speeding, risky maneuvers, clinging onto moving vehicles on incline roads, overloading, nighttime cycling, driving under the influence, and breaking other traffic laws are among the reckless activities that have been identified as key contributors to road fatalities.
The deadly incidents of bikers losing control when riding downhill and being unable to stop when they run into obstacles are one particularly alarming problem.
The city of Kigali reported the most traffic accidents between January and June, followed by the southern, northern, eastern, and western provinces.
ACP Rutikanga urged motorcyclists to use low-beam headlights, refrain from drinking alcohol while riding, always wear helmets, follow posted speed limits, avoid swerving into other vehicles, abstain from risky overtaking, avoid overloading, and refrain from using their phones while riding in order to promote road safety. Additionally, pedestrian rights must be upheld.
Similar advice for cyclists included refraining from holding onto moving vehicles, avoiding excessive downhill speeding, stopping operations after 6 p.m., respecting pedestrian walkways, avoiding carrying heavy luggage that impedes traffic flow, and obeying traffic control signposts.
“This is one of numerous other comparable road safety awareness campaigns conducted in the past targeting motorcyclists and cyclists under Gerayo Amahoro,” ACP Rutikanga said in his conclusion. This time, however, actions against stubborn motorcyclists and cyclists who persist in breaking traffic laws and endangering people’s lives will be conducted after the campaign.