Malawi Police Service records show that eight people were killed and 29 others sustained various degrees of injuries in 32 road accidents recorded during this year’s Easter holiday nationwide.
National Police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo said in an interview yesterday that the Central West and South West police regions recorded the highest number of accidents at nine cases and one death apiece.
He said by gender breakdown, five of the deceased were men and three women.
Said Chimtembo: “Out of this year’s Easter accidents, seven were classified as serious, resulting in nine severe injuries while eight accidents were classified as minor, leading 20 casualties.
“The majority of these road accidents were attributed to excessive speeding by motorists.”
The data show that the death toll has slightly dropped by about 12.5 percent from nine deaths recorded during the same period last year while the number of injuries has increased by 11.5 percent from 26 cases, with the total number of accidents jumping by 28 percent from 25 incidents.
In his reaction to the trend, road safety expert Steve Mwandama expressed concern over persistent poor driving habits, particularly in urban areas.
He noted that a significant number of accidents occur at or near roundabouts, where motorists often fail to observe basic driving procedures.
Mwandama said reckless behaviours such as speeding and improper lane changes at roundabouts are increasingly common, creating dangerous conditions for both motorists and pedestrians.
“Every driver is supposed to follow roundabout driving procedures, but that is not the case with most motorists. You find drivers speeding or changing lanes recklessly at roundabouts, decisions that often lead to accidents,” he said.
Mwandama further faulted weak enforcement of road traffic regulations, arguing that the absence of consistent monitoring encourages indiscipline among drivers.
The Easter holiday period is traditionally associated with increased travel as people visit relatives and attend religious and social gatherings, often leading to congestion on major roads.
