Road accidents cost Namibia $96 million per year

The accidents have kill more than 700 people and leaves another 7 000 injured.

ROAD accidents in Namibia cost the government about 1,3 billion Namibian dollars ($96 million) every year, according to transport minister Alpheus Naruseb.

Speaking during the launch of the national roads safety initiative program in Windhoek Monday, Naruseb said about 19 000 accidents are recorded each year.

These accidents, he said, kill more than 700 people and leaves another 7 000 injured.

The road safety initiative is a joint venture between Namibia’s National Road Safety Council and the Global Road Safety Facility.

According to Naruseb, Namibia’s road safety record concerns the government, specially considering that accidents are preventable.

!Naruseb called on road users to change their attitude and behavior on the roads to make a difference.

The Global Road Safety Facility, a global partnership program administered by the World Bank, was established in 2006 to help address the growing crisis of road traffic deaths and injuries in low and middle-income countries.

The facility provides funding, knowledge, and technical assistance designed to scale up the efforts of low and middle income countries to build their scientific, technological and managerial capacities.

The program seeks to strengthen road safety and improve efficiency within the transport sector in Namibia.  Xinhuanet.com