AMtraet--The article is based on the findings of a research project on "Road traffic problems in Zambia" which was started in January 1974. Trend curves have been defined for the number of road accidents, casualties, fatalities and other relevant quantities, and on the basis of surveys and analysis carried out for other countries, the situation in Zambia has been compared to the international one. The number of vehicles for 10,000 persons has increased from 163 in 1964 to 332 (about one vehicle for every 30 persons) in 1974, an increase of 103%. Road traffic fatalities have also increased by 170%, climbing from 330 in 1964 to 890 in 1974, while the total number of accidents has increased by 194%, reaching the figure of 10,829 by 1974. The number of fatalities per 10,000 vehicles for the year 1974 was 57. The present trend means, in figures, that unless appropriate measures are taken, 1,100 road fatalities are to be expected in 1980, 200 more than in 1974. It has been established that the annual number of fatalities per vehicle in Zambia is ten times larger than the average for European countries. Also the ratio of fatalities to number of injured persons is much higher for Zambia than for neighbouring countries and about twice that of the European average.