KIGALI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Monday joined the 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week as Rwanda National Police launched a road safety week in the capital city of Kigali.
During the week, traffic officers will be sensitizing motorists and other road users, including cyclists and pedestrians, about road safety issues such as avoiding speeding and drunk driving, as well as the use of seat belts, according to the police.
The event was launched with a march for road safety which attracted different categories of road users. Road accidents in Rwanda claimed the lives of at least 465 people while 654 were injured in 2018, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations Felix Namuhoranye told the marchers.
Most road accidents are preventable, and bribes given to traffic officers play a big role in causing road accidents, Namuhoranye said.
A total of 77 traffic officers were dismissed from the police over corruption last year, while about 160 motorists were jailed over bribery of traffic officers, according to him.
Up to 80 percent of road accidents in Rwanda are caused by human behaviors, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, minister of state in charge of transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure, told the marchers.
After the road safety week, the Rwandan police will embark on a 52-week sustainable campaign to raise more awareness on road safety, said Uwihanganye.
The 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week from May 6-12 goes with the theme of "Leadership for Road safety."
