THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) says it will revoke licenses for Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers that are exceeding speed limits placed on the roads.
RTSA head of public relations Fredrick Mubanga said the agency was concerned with the continued disregard to speed limits by PSV drivers with some driving at the ranges of 120 km/h to 200 km/h against the prescribed speed limit for PSV buses on highways which is 100 km/h, thus posing serious danger to the travelling public.
Mr. Mubanga said the agency would in the course of this week write to all PSV drivers in question, to show cause why their driving licenses should not be revoked for exceeding speed limits with impunity.
“According to the Global Position System (GPS) installed on over 500 long distance buses and monitored by the RTSA, records indicate an increase in drivers violating speed limits on several occasions to an extent of driving at the ranges of 120 km/h to 200 km/h against the prescribed speed limit for PSV buses on highways which is 100 km/h, thus posing serious danger to the travelling public,” he said.
Mr. Mubanga said the agency will be exercising section 68(1) (a) of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 which empowered the RTSA to revoke a driving license, if in the opinion of the Director, the conduct or character of the holder of such a license was rendered to be unfit to drive such a vehicle from the point of view of the safety of the public.
He said PSV drivers are expected to drive with due care bearing in mind the level of responsibility they assume but that the continuous disregard to traffic rules and regulations was a serious road safety concern.
Mr. Mubanga said RTSA was taking a proactive approach to monitor the speed of PSV buses through GPS in bid to mitigate the risk of road traffic crashes on Zambian roads.
