The city of Buea was rocked by at least three traffic accidents within a 24‑hour period this week, underscoring a worsening road safety crisis that residents and authorities say must be addressed with urgency.
On Wednesday evening near Mile 17, a high‑speed crash claimed the lives of three young people, leaving the community in shock and mourning. Authorities and eyewitnesses say the driver lost control on the steep hill near the Total Molyko gas station, crashing violently and killing the occupants instantly.
That same Wednesday, two taxi drivers had a head-on collision in Bakweri Town, leaving at least four people seriously injured.
Less than a day later, on Thursday afternoon in Great Soppo, close to Brigade, another serious collision unfolded on the road leading to Bongo Square. A private car travelling at high speed collided first with a taxi and then with a loaded truck. The crash happened in broad daylight, ripping apart all three vehicles and scattering debris across the narrow road.
Thankfully, there were no deaths in the second crash. Passengers and drivers from all vehicles escaped with minor injuries and were treated at local clinics. But the scale of destruction — with all three vehicles badly damaged — was a grim reminder of how close the incident came to turning fatal.
Residents say both crashes share a disturbing pattern: excessive speed on roads that are not designed for high‑velocity travel. These streets thread through residential areas and markets where pedestrians, schoolchildren and traders are common, making reckless driving especially dangerous.
Road safety experts cite national data indicating that Cameroon continues to experience high rates of traffic accidents. In 2024, the country recorded 1,781 road crashes and 678 deaths, according to official transport statistics—a heavy toll that reflects broader risks on urban and interurban roads alike.
Local safety advocates also note that human factors such as speeding, distraction and poor driving skills are major contributors to crashes across Cameroon. Past reports have linked a high proportion of accidents to dangerous driving behaviours, insufficient training and insufficient enforcement of traffic rules
By Lucas Muma
