THE Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) Zimbabwe has warned that while the recent rollout of evidential breathalysers is a positive step, outdated drink-driving laws and a weak policy framework continue to undermine road safety.
The concerns were raised during the Regional Media Workers’ Conversations held last week, where researchers, advocates and journalists from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe examined the link between alcohol availability and gender-based violence.
The session underscored an urgent call for stronger, evidence-based and community-centred alcohol regulation. Participants urged stronger, evidence-based and community-centred alcohol regulation, noting that alcohol remains a key driver of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, community trauma and youth vulnerability across the region.
SAAPA Zimbabwe coordinator, Tungamirirai Zimonte, said equipment alone could not replace the need for modern, science-aligned laws, as most countries had shifted to stricter limits and zero-tolerance measures for public-transport drivers.
“Zimbabwe does have a legal blood-alcohol concentration limit of 0,08g per 100ml, set under the Road Traffic Act regulations. But the limit is outdated. Most countries now use 0,05 and WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends zero tolerance for public-transport and commercial drivers — a crucial gap given Zimbabwe’s reliance on commuter transport,” he said.
Zimonte added that enforcement had historically been weak because police lacked evidential breath-testing devices.
“The legal framework has not been modernised to integrate drink-driving enforcement with broader alcohol-control policy mechanisms. Breathalysers catch harm; policy prevents harm,” he said.
According to the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, the country recorded 52 288 road crashes in 2024, with 2 015 fatalities and more than 10 000 injuries. In early 2025, national media and police reports indicate that road crashes continue to rise.
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Human error remains the leading cause of these accidents, with reckless driving, speeding and alcohol impairment cited as the most common contributing factors.
“Human error — including alcohol impairment — remains a leading cause. These are not just numbers; they represent preventable deaths and preventable harm,” Zimonte said.
He urged authorities to modernise the legal framework by aligning the National Alcohol Policy with the Drug Master Plan.
A harmonised framework, he said, would strengthen licensing oversight, close enforcement gaps and embed drink-driving laws within a broader public-health strategy.
He urged authorities to update and implement the National Alcohol Policy, aligned with the Drug Master Plan; legislate modern BAC limits, including zero tolerance for public-transport operators; expand evidence-based restrictions on liquor-licence applications, particularly in high-risk areas; and earmark part of alcohol-excise duty revenue for road safety, enforcement, trauma care and prevention.
Compared with neighbouring countries, Zimbabwe’s road-fatality burden remains among the highest in the region. South Africa recorded 12 172 road deaths in 2024 — a rate of 19,3 deaths per 100 000 people — highlighting the scale of Zimbabwe’s road-safety challenge.
Botswana also continues to grapple with dangerous roads, reporting thousands of accidents in recent years, with speeding, inexperience and alcohol consumption frequently cited as contributory factors.
