- men mostly affected with 72% of fatalities compared to 28% of women
Botswana has recorded a worrying increase in road fatalities in 2025, with the Botswana Police Service Traffic Branch reporting that 198 people have died in crashes this year, a 9.4% rise from the 181 deaths recorded in 2024.
According to the latest situation report covering the period up to August 24, 167 fatal accidents have been recorded nationwide, compared to 152 in 2024, representing a 9.9% increase.
The sharpest rise in fatalities was observed in the Maun Office coverage area, where 25 lives have been lost so far in 2025. This marks a staggering 127% increase compared to 11 deaths in the same period last year, accounting for 12.6% of the national total.
A closer breakdown reveals that pedestrians (9 deaths) and passengers (11 deaths) make up the majority of casualties, while drivers accounted for 5 deaths. Men were disproportionately affected, representing 72% (18 fatalities) compared to 28% (7 fatalities) among women.
Branch Manager of the Maun Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, Cecil Mosojane, expressed concern about the pattern, noting that men continue to be the most affected. “I would like to see men changing behaviour. The report boasts a difference in the general ruling that men are predominantly affected compared to the female counterpart,” he said.
Mosojane emphasised that the high number of male fatalities has a broader social impact. “They are the breadwinners. And now having them to rule lives. It means we are leaving a number of families stranded,” he said, adding that the Fund is working with other institutions to address the crisis.
He further appealed directly to men, urging them to reflect on their behaviour behind the wheel. “There is an appeal to all men to take care of their behaviour. We are talking most men. We are talking most men,” he stressed.
The report also shows that March (8 fatalities) and June (6 fatalities) were the deadliest months in the Maun area. Within the coverage zone, Maun (9 fatalities) and Boteti (7 fatalities) together contributed 64% of the deaths, followed by Sehithwa (5), Chobe (2), and Gumare (2).
Nationally, the South-Central area continues to dominate the statistics, recording 190 accidents this year compared to 159 in 2024. Other hotspots include North Central (29 accidents) and North West (20 accidents).
In just the past week under review (17–24 August), nine people were killed, with head-on collisions being the most frequent cause. On August 22, a crash along the B111 Road claimed the life of a driver and left five passengers injured after an attempted overtaking maneuver went wrong.
Mosojane concluded by stressing the importance of targeted interventions. “We are targeting different groups. In this case, it is men who are actually concerned most,” he said.
