National Road Safety Policy of 2009 - Uwaba.or.tz

vehicles for the period in reference is explained by the fact that
a new computerized vehicle register system was put in place and
became operational since July, 2003 and is gradually expanding.
For the first two years July 2003 to July 2005 the registration of
vehicles under the new system was carried out in selected regions
of Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza and was a grace period in
which vehicle owners were not compelled to register their vehicles
under the new system. Vehicle owners could maintain their old
registration numbers issued under the old system. However,
starting the end of 2005 onwards, registration of vehicles under
the new computerized system became mandatory and covered the
entire country and, hence the significant increases of registered
vehicles portrayed by the statistics for the period 2005 – 2007.
1.3 Statement of the problem
Road transport is essential to the social and economic life and
development of Tanzania. However, the current level of loss of life and
property associated with road crashes in Tanzania is unacceptable.
A road crash is defined as any vehicle crash occurring on a highway
or road (that is, originating on, terminating on, or involving a vehicle
partially on the highway or road). These crashes, therefore, include
collisions between vehicles and animals, vehicles and pedestrians
or vehicles and fixed obstacles. Single vehicle crashes, in which one
vehicle alone (and no other road user) was involved, are included.
All fatality and injury totals include pedestrians, motorcyclists and
bicyclists unless otherwise noted.
Appendix 3 shows the carnage that has occurred on Tanzanian
roads for the period 1977 – 2008. It shows that a total of 379,699
crashes have occurred, over 48,754 reported fatalities have been
caused and over 347,657 reported injured persons. On the other
hand Appendix 4 shows that passengers and pedestrians account
for 75% of all traffic fatalities while drivers account for 10% of
traffic fatalities. The number of fatalities (deaths) reported in the
year 2004 was 2,366 while in the year 2006 was 2,884 and in
2007 was 2,594. It is estimated that the number of fatalities and
injured due to road crashes will double within the next ten years if
nothing tangible is done to reverse the current trend. The fatality
rate per 10,000 vehicles was 30 – 40 times higher than in the
safest and highly motorized countries in the world and it was also
higher compared to some of the neighbouring countries and trade
2