January 10, 2026 – During the fourth quarter of 2025, covering the period from September 1 to December 31, the Zambia Police Service recorded a total of 10,400 road traffic accidents countrywide.
Of these, 554 were fatal, resulting in 667 deaths. Serious accidents accounted for 856 cases, leaving 1,776 people seriously injured, while 1,971 slight accidents caused 2,914 minor injuries. A further 7,019 accidents were classified as damage-only.
Provincial DistributionLusaka Province recorded the highest number of road traffic accidents at 5,515, followed by Copperbelt Province with 1,197, and Central Province with 1,091.
Other provinces recorded the following figures: North-Western (643), Southern (604), Eastern (360), Muchinga (338), Luapula (265), and Northern (211), while Western Province recorded the lowest number, with 176 accidents.Child Casualties in Road Traffic AccidentsA total of 385 child casualties were recorded in road traffic accidents.
Of these, 210 were boys, among whom 35 died, 77 sustained serious injuries, and 98 sustained minor injuries.
The remaining 175 were girls, of whom 21 died, 62 sustained serious injuries, and 92 sustained minor injuries.
Hit-and-Run AccidentsFurthermore, 475 hit-and-run accidents were recorded, of which 46 were fatal, 88 were serious, 96 were slight, and 245 were damage-only.
Causes of Road Traffic AccidentsMost accidents were attributed to human error, with major contributing factors including excessive speed, misjudgement of clearance distance, failure to keep to the nearside, and improper overtaking, among others.
Comparison with 2024The 10,400 accidents recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025 represent a 13.0% increase compared with 9,203 accidents reported during the same period in 2024, which resulted in 614 fatalities.
While serious accidents decreased slightly from 937 in 2024 to 856 in 2025, the number of serious injuries increased from 1,540 to 1,776. Slight accidents were marginally higher in 2025 at 1,971, compared with 1,953 in 2024, with minor injuries increasing from 2,520 to 2,914. Damage-only accidents also rose significantly, from 5,823 in 2024 to 7,019 in 2025.
Admission of Guilt FinesIn terms of admission of guilt fines, the Zambia Police Service recorded an increase in collections. A total of K22,870,266.00 was collected in 2025, compared with K20,434,509.00 in 2024, representing an increase of K2,435,757.00, or 11.9%.
The Zambia Police Service urges all road users to strictly observe traffic rules and regulations to reduce accidents, protect lives, and ensure the safety of all road users.
Issued by:
Godfrey Chilabi
Public Relations Officer