THE Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) coordinated emergency response services for 226 verified road traffic incidents during the 2025/26 festive season, as insurers moved to limit accident-related losses during a period of heightened highway risk.
This comes as traffic volumes continue to surge over the holidays, stretching public emergency services and increasing insurers’ exposure to claims linked to fatalities, injuries and vehicle damage.
“During the 2025/26 festive season, when traffic volumes and accident risks traditionally surge, the ICZ implemented a targeted highway emergency response initiative that demonstrated how coordinated, multi-stakeholder action can save lives and strengthen public confidence,” said ICZ chief executive Donald Muthe.
Under the programme, ambulances were stationed at major highway hotspots, backed by the ICZ 591 Helpdesk, which operated 24 hours a day.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) statistics show that about 2 412 road traffic accidents were recorded nationally during the festive period. These included 87 fatal accidents, which claimed 100 lives, while 471 people were injured.
Call centre data indicates that accident reports peaked between 4 pm and 9 pm, a period associated with heavy traffic and long-distance travel.
Muthe said the Helpdesk’s continuous operation helped plug response gaps during evenings and nights, when emergency capacity is often stretched.
The initiative was supported by partnerships with Highway Emergency Medical Services, Discovery and other ambulance providers, enabling quicker dispatch along key transport corridors.
“In several documented cases, emergency teams reached accident scenes within minutes, stabilising victims and facilitating onward transfer to medical facilities,” Muthe said.
He added that faster response times were key to reducing fatalities and injury severity under the Golden Hour standard.
Beyond accident response, the service also received reports of reckless driving, allowing authorities to intervene before incidents escalated.
However, the ICZ said public awareness of the full scope of the Helpdesk remains uneven.