Twenty people died Sunday evening in the collision of two mini-cars in central Ivory Coast, we learned on Monday from the civil protection services (ONPC).
“Collision between two 24-seater mini buses in Ahizabré, a village located approximately 20 kilometers from Gagnoa, on the Gagnoa-Soubré axis. Provisional results: 31 victims including 20 deaths confirmed by the nurse at the health center of the said village”, indicates the ONPC in a publication on Facebook.
According to the ONPC, the accident occurred at night around 7:30 p.m. (GMT and local) and the rescue operation by the region’s firefighters is “completed”.
As in many African countries, deadly accidents are frequent in Côte d’Ivoire due to the poor condition of certain roads and the numerous vehicles, as well as the incivility of drivers.
Many motorists also hold purchased licenses without ever having attended a driving school.
In September, 13 people were burned to death in a collision between a bus and a tanker in the north of the country.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 people are killed on average each year on the roads of Côte d’Ivoire, according to the Ministry of Transport, for 1.5 million vehicles on the road. In comparison, France – which is not the best student in Europe – has 3,500 deaths for 39 million vehicles on average.
In recent years, Ivory Coast has taken a series of measures to reduce fatal accidents: points permits, a ban on importing vehicles over five years old, video surveillance and road renovation in particular.
Ivory Coast hopes to reduce the number of deaths on its roads by 50% by 2025.
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