Over 60 killed in Ethiopia traffic accident

ADDIS ABABA: Over 60 people were killed on Sunday in a traffic accident in Ethiopia's Sidama region when a truck carrying passengers plunged into the Galana River while crossing a bridge, said the regional communication office.

The survivors are being treated at hospitals nearby.

Despite a low per capita car ownership rate, deadly traffic accidents are relatively common in Ethiopia. Poor road conditions, reckless driving, a flawed licensing system, and lax enforcement of safety regulations are among the main reasons, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on September 26, a total of 28 people were killed and 19 others were injured in a traffic accident in southern Ethiopia, the local media reported.

The deadly accident had occurred when a bus traveling from Wolaita Sodo to Dawro Zone overturned, local media reported, citing officials.

The injured had been receiving intensive medical treatment in nearby healthcare institutions, said the police, who warned that the death toll could increase.

Despite a low per capita car ownership rate, deadly traffic accidents had been relatively common in Ethiopia due to poor road conditions, reckless driving, a flawed driving licence issuance system, and lax enforcement of safety regulations.

Earlier on April 13, a traffic accident in Ethiopia's central region of Oromia had killed at least 15 people, a local official said.

Kemal Aman, an official with the West Arsi Zone police department in the Oromia Region, had stated that the road accident occurred when a bus collided head-on with a truck traveling on the opposite side of the road, the state-affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

The injured had been treated in two nearby hospitals. The official also said negligent driving was the cause of the fatal traffic accident.

Although Ethiopia had one of the lowest per capita car ownership rates in the world, fatal traffic accidents were relatively common. The blame was often placed on bad roads, reckless driving, lax enforcement of safety rules, and a flawed system for issuing driving licences.

Xinhua news agency reported on February 28 that at least 1,358 people had died in traffic accidents in Ethiopia during the past six-month period, the Ethiopian government disclosed.

State Minister for Ethiopia Government Communication Service, Selamawit Kassa, had told reporters that deadly traffic accidents had caused serious concern in the East African country.

In addition to the death toll during the first six months of the current 2023-2024 Ethiopian fiscal year, which had started on July 8, 2023, Kassa said that an additional 2,672 people had sustained serious injuries from accidents.

The country had thereby incurred over 1.9 billion Ethiopian birr ($33 million) in damages.

According to Kassa, studies had shown that drivers were to blame for more than 60 per cent of traffic accidents in the country.

Reports indicated that, with a growing economy and a rising middle class, the East African nation had recorded steady growth in vehicle numbers for the past several years.