HARARE – Police have vowed to take action against drivers and managers of Rimbi Tours and Zebra Kiss bus companies whose buses were caught on a viral video racing each other with one of them ending up involved in a fatal road traffic accident which killed one passenger and injured seven.
The accident happened at the 160 km peg along Harare-Nyamapanda Road on Tuesday at around 1620 hours.
A driver who was driving a Rimbi Tours, Yutong bus due west towards Harare, with 23 passengers on board rammed onto the back of a Shacman Tipper which was travelling in the same direction.
The bus driver was trying to overtake the truck whilst being blocked by a Zebra Kiss bus which was travelling in the same direction.
In a statement Wednesday, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the reckless drivers and their employers will face the wrath of the law.
“The police will ensure that the law takes its course on the two bus drivers and the bus companies management,” Nyathi said.
He added, “It is clear that the bus drivers were racing and blocking each other along the road.
“They were openly putting the lives of passengers in danger.”
The police spokesperson said it was incumbent upon bus operators to control their crews to exercise caution when driving passenger transport vehicles.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police implores bus operators to reign in their drivers to ensure that they abide by road rules and regulations.
“Operators have a vicarious responsibility to control their drivers and ensure that drivers are not dragged into dangerous and reckless highway races with other buses for passengers.
“Drivers are licensed to protect lives on the roads and set a good conduct in terms of road safety,” he said.
Reckless driving is common among bus drivers often competing for passengers along long routes.
Drivers often blame employers for imposing unrealistic daily targets from them leading to the dangerous practice along the highways.
