Story by Peter Chivhima
Government has declared war on corrupt and unlicenced driving schools, citing their contribution to rising road traffic accidents.
This comes as nearly 2 000 fatalities and over 10 000 injuries are recorded annually.
Corrupt driving schools who employ unqualified instructors and operate without licences have been cited as a cause for concern.
Officiating at the 2024 Festive Season Road Traffic Awareness Campaign recently, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Honourable Felix Mhona revealed the net is closing on unscrupulous Driving schools.
“We have witnessed a surge in driving schools. Consequently, we’ll enforce stricter registration requirements to ensure road safety and order. Our goal is to produce responsible, skilled drivers we can be proud of,” he said.
Honorable Mhona also warned the public against bribing Vehicle Inspectorate Department officials to ensure safety on the country’s roads.
“We must not offer bribes to VID officials. I recall a conversation with a relative who claimed to have paid a bribe through a driving school. I contacted the instructor and examiner, who initially denied the allegation, but the instructor admitted to collecting bribes on their behalf. Let’s refrain from bribing officials.”
According to police, more than 20 people have reportedly perished due to road traffic accidents, since the beginning of the 2024 Festive Season Holidays.
