More Than 60 Lives Lost in Ethiopian Road Tragedy

Addis Ababa, Dec 30 (NationPress) More than 60 individuals lost their lives on Sunday in a devastating traffic collision in Ethiopia's Sidama region. A truck transporting passengers tragically plunged into the Galana River while attempting to cross a bridge, according to the regional communication office.

Those who survived are currently receiving medical care at nearby hospitals.

Despite having a low per capita vehicle ownership rate, traffic accidents that result in fatalities are sadly frequent in Ethiopia. Key factors contributing to this include poor road conditions, reckless driving, an ineffective licensing system, and insufficient enforcement of safety laws, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

Just earlier, on September 26, 28 individuals were reported dead and another 19 injured in a traffic incident in southern Ethiopia, as per local media sources.

This previous tragic event involved a bus that overturned while traveling from Wolaita Sodo to the Dawro Zone, according to officials.

The injured were provided with intensive medical treatment at local healthcare facilities, as per police reports, who cautioned that the death toll could rise further.

On April 13, another road accident in the central region of Oromia resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people, according to a local official.

Kemal Aman, an official with the police department in the West Arsi Zone of Oromia Region, mentioned that the accident occurred when a bus collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction. This incident was also reported by the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.

The injured individuals received treatment at two nearby hospitals, with the official indicating that negligent driving was the cause of this tragic accident.

Even with one of the lowest per capita car ownership rates globally, Ethiopia continues to experience a worrying trend of fatal traffic accidents. The issues are often attributed to inadequate roads, reckless driving behavior, lax safety regulations, and a flawed driving license issuance system.

According to a report by Xinhua on February 28, at least 1,358 people lost their lives to traffic accidents in Ethiopia over the previous six months, as disclosed by the government.

Selamawit Kassa, State Minister for the Ethiopian Government Communication Service, expressed serious concern regarding the rising number of deadly traffic incidents in the East African nation.

In addition to the fatalities reported during the initial six months of the current Ethiopian fiscal year (2023-2024), which began on July 8, 2023, Kassa revealed that 2,672 individuals suffered serious injuries from various accidents.

The country has faced damages exceeding 1.9 billion Ethiopian birr (approximately $33 million) due to these incidents.

According to Kassa, studies indicate that drivers are responsible for over 60 percent of traffic accidents within the nation.

Reports suggest that with a growing economy and an expanding middle class, the East African nation has witnessed a consistent increase in vehicle numbers over recent years.