Secret behind road accidents revealed

By Boniface Sylvester Mgozi
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) expert has said the rising number of fatalities due to accidents on various highways in the country has become a cause of concern and that in most cases tyre bursts have come out as one of the major reasons behind the mishaps.

Mr Msasalaga added that generally, people tend to drive in higher speed on high way. He said some drivers have been found driving at the speed of more than recommended 80km/hr, which may be dangerous if the tyre’s condition is not good or the air pressure is not maintained.

“One should always check the road worthiness of the tyres. There is tread wear indicator and one should follow the guidelines and change tyres if needed. If the tyres are over inflated, the footprint will be smaller, resulting in reduced control.

Similarly, in case of less air pressure, overheating will occur due to more friction,” he said. The statistics released by the Head of Traffic Police, Mohamed Mpinga last year said deaths caused by road accidents had gone down by 242 people by December, 2015 compared to the same period in 2014.

Yesterday, the TBS official said road accidents could be controlled if drivers and car owners will be conscious and keen on the proper uses of tyres.

Commenting on the quality of imported used cars from abroad, Mr Msasalaga said TBS conducts pre-shipment verification in various countries.