281 people die in Malawi road accidents in 2019 first quarter

LILONGWE–At least 281 people died in road accidents in Malawi in the first quarter of 2019, up from 234 in 2018 during the same period.

Malawi Police Deputy Spokesperson Thomeck Nyaude told local media Thursday that during the first three months of 2019, the country registered 2,350 road accidents, a 143 percent increase year-on-year, up from 965 accidents in the same period last year.

The police spokesperson said out of the reported accidents, 215 were fatal, slightly up from 206 such accidents for the same period in 2018. He said most of the accidents could have been avoided if road users were more cautious.

"It is every road users' responsibility ... to check speeding, which is another cause of accidents in the country," said Nyaude.

Earlier surveys on road accidents in Malawi have faulted the country's traffic police officers, saying they led to an increase in road accidents due to corrupt practices which allow unfit drivers and cars to ply the country's roads.