Cameroon: Over 50% of lives lost through road accidents

The last days of the year 2020 proved to be fatal for many and at the same time exposed the weaknesses of the country. While hoping that the rampant brute road accidents in 2020, serves as a big lesson to stubborn government officials, road constructors and drivers, about more than 50% of Cameroonian lives are lost through road accidents.On Sunday December 27, 2020 a series of road accidents occurred across the national triangle leaving many dead on the spot and others wounded.

The accident in Makenene, Centre region of the country claimed the lives of about 37 persons and 18 others seriously wounded. Another took place in the Southwest region and claimed the lives of three, a woman and her two children knocked down at Bonduma gate in Buea, Southwest Region of Cameroon, meanwhile a commissioner and two passengers also had an accident in the region which left all of them dead. In Melong, two people were reported dead following another accident which was caused according to witnesses by potholes on the road. Things kept getting worse as another accident occurred at Ndikiminiki not far from the political capital Yaoundé which left over 40 dead. The bus derailed from its trial and fell over a bridge, several other persons were left wounded and battling between life and dead in the hospital.

Causes of Road Accidents in Cameroon

The number of accidents which have occurred in the last months of the year 2020 got everyone puzzled leaving mixed emotions in the minds of Cameroonians. The cause of these accidents ranges in between, overcrowded buses, bad roads, corruption, poor state of vehicles and lots more. The state of roads in Cameroon are deplorable; from potholes to small trials per taxi and the unavailability of roads to carry heavy duty trucks and buses. These cause accidents to occur especially with the fact that some drivers are adamant to road safety rules and try to overtake at any time regardless of the kind of vehicle ahead of them.

A question yet to be answered is, do officers in charge of road safety not notice the number of passengers carried in buses or their eyes are covered with what they receive from drivers?  More so, vehicles plying major roads are outdated but yet still uses the roads. The situation with roads in Cameroon keeps getting worst and more accidents recorded. The Ministry of Transport has been rated one of the most corrupt ministries in the country giving the bribes collected by officials regardless of the situation.