Staff Reporter
The Chairperson of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), Deputy Commissioner (Rtd) Amalia Gawa-!Nas, has expressed concern about the prevalence of road crashes on the B1 and B2 highways.
“Looking at the crash locations, the B1 highway and B2 highways are alarming across the past 10 years, although serious stakeholder interventions took place, we could only see minimum impact. This situation highlights the need for continued enforcement, safer driving behaviour, and targeted interventions on high-risk routes to reduce road crashes and save lives,” she said.
The Chairperson made these remarks at the launch of NamPol’s Integrated Road Safety Operation for the Second Trimester School Holiday and Heroes’ Day, where it was revealed that the country recorded a total of 1,747 road crashes between January and 9 August this year, resulting in 279 fatalities.
The operation, which officially commenced on 12 August 2026, will run until 10 September 2026. It will be guided by the theme, “Engage, Educate and Enforce”.
The operation aims to increase police visibility, deter dangerous driving, improve compliance with traffic laws, and reduce road crashes, fatalities and injuries. It will focus on the B1 and B2 National Road Corridors and other identified high-risk areas, with 20 dedicated Traffic Law Enforcement Officers deployed to enhance road safety and reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries.
Gawa-!Nas explained that the NRSC will support the operation through road safety education, community engagement, as well as simulated crash demonstrations. She highlighted that these activities are designed to raise awareness of the consequences of unsafe road-user behaviour and encourage safer practices among drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers.
“Road traffic crashes continue to claim lives and leave many families devastated across Namibia. Behind every statistic is a parent, a child, a friend, or a colleague whose life has been permanently changed. These tragedies are preventable, and it is through initiatives such as this that we can strengthen awareness and encourage behavioural change,” Gawa-!Nas added.
Photo: National Road Safety Council (Namibia)
