Mozambique’s imports of new vehicles in 2013 accounted for just 13 percent of total imported vehicles, according to a study by the Mozambique Association for Import and Distribution of Vehicles (AIDAM) published Monday.

The study said that of the 45,000 vehicles imported by Mozambique in the last year, just 6,000 were new and mostly bought by private and public institutions.

With the study, the organisation, which represents 14 sellers and brand representatives, is warning the government about a lack of legislation on importing second-hand vehicles, which, it says, may increase road traffic accidents in Mozambique.

“If we want safe roads and to protect the environment we need to regulate the sector (…) as after its fifth year on the road vehicles, wear and tear is much worse,” said the president of AIDAM, Nuno Sousa, cited by the Mozambican press.

Dalila Tsihlakis, the chief executive of Ronil, the exclusive agent in Mozambique for the Mazda, Iveco and BMW brands, said recently that some of the second-hand vehicles that are acquired do not even stay on the road for six months as they arrive in the country already damaged or with serious faults. (macauhub)