Zambia has over the years recorded innumerable road traffic accidents which have claimed a lot of lives and left many with permanent injuries.
Although some of the reasons behind these accidents are genuine, there is a growing belief that the carnage on our roads is as result of human error brought about by incompetence on the part of some drivers.
Statistics obtained from the police paint a grim picture about what is happening on our roads today. For instance, a total of 7,252 road accidents were recorded in the second quarter of this year.
Out of  these,  328 were fatal road traffic accidents, 732 were serious injury road traffic accidents, 1,422 were slight and 4,770 were recorded as damages only.
A total number of 432 persons were killed in the second quarter of 2017, as compared to 705 persons killed in second quarter of 2016 representing a decrease of 273 persons killed while 1,353 Persons
sustained serious injuries in the second quarter of 2017 compared to 1,762 persons in the second quarter of 2016.
It is against this background that we agree with Zambia School of Driving (ZADAC) School of Driving and Skills Training director Bafana Moyo  on the need for measures to be put in place to stop people from obtaining driver’s licences  from Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) using underhand methods.
Having untrained drivers on our roads puts the lives of commuters and pedestrians at risk which needn’t be the case at all.
As rightly observed by Mr Moyo, many deaths on the road could be avoided if drivers were appropriately trained on driving skills and traffic regulations.
Many people resort to ‘taking short cuts’ when getting  a driver’s licence because of the belief that it is difficult to get a licence.
Apart from dealing with rotten eggs within the system who take bribes from members of the public in exchange for a licence, RTSA should carry out more sensitization programmes regarding the process of acquiring a driver’s licence in Zambia and the benefits of doing so.
To deter members of the public from obtaining driver’s licences through the back door, the Government  should also put in place measures such as lengthy jail terms for those who are found wanting.