In a move aimed against road accidents which are on the rise in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopian authorities have announced stiffer penalties for drivers violating traffic regulations.

According to Ceoafrica, at least 5,000 people died across Ethiopia last year due to road accidents and earlier this week four nuns became the latest victims after they died in a road accident in the east of the country.

Also, road accidents have killed many pedestrians.

Reports by the Addis Ababa authorities blamed the rising cases of accidents on poor roads, speeding and drink driving, and also revealed the low usage of seatbelts, alongside one in three motorcyclists wearing helmets correctly.

In January, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn termed the rise in accidents as an epidemic and called for a complete overhaul of traffic regulations and the issuing of driving licenses.