The Eastern Cape Department of Transport is getting stricter about the illegal use of blue lights and motorists who travel in emergency lanes.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport is getting stricter about the illegal use of blue lights and motorists who travel in emergency lanes.
It has sent out a warning to motorists about these offences. The illegal use of blue lights by criminals who pose as police or traffic officers and stop vehicles and rob or even kill motorists, is a crime that is becoming an everyday occurrence. There have also been many situations where some vehicles belonging to politicians display a blue light and there have been reports of these drivers forcing motorists off the roads.
In terms of Regulation 176 of the National Road Traffic Act (93 of 1996) "No person shall operate a motor vehicle, which is fitted with a blue light, or in or which is displayed a lamp or lamps emitting a blue light or capable of emitting a blue light, except:
- Any vehicle driven by a member of the South African Police Service or a member of a Municipal Police Service
- Any vehicle driven by a traffic officer
- Any vehicle driven by a member of the South African National Defence Force authorised in terms of Section 87(1)(g) of the Defence force in performing police functions
Traffic Officers attached to the Provincial Department of Transport and local authorities throughout the province will embark upon Operation Warning Lights during the next few months. The warning also applies to taxi drivers, operators and marshals and some undertakers for illegally using orange lights. The act is clear on who can use these lights and it is only the MEC responsible for Traffic Management who may grant permission to a person or institution to make use of orange lights.
Ncedo Kumbaca, the director of communications at the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, said: “Motorists are therefore warned to desist from displaying blue or orange lights on their vehicles or face harsh legal action. Motorists are also warned that where their vehicle is found to be illegally fitted with blue or orange lights, their vehicles will be suspended from use on any public road and the lights will be removed before such a vehicle can be certified as roadworthy again.”
Another serious concern is the great number of vehicles using the shoulders or emergency lanes to enable other vehicles to pass. “Drivers are requested to follow the vehicle in front until the traffic markings or lines allow them to overtake one another. This is a serious offence and we warned both the driver using the shoulders illegally as well as the driver forcing others to make way for them just because they are in hurry and in most instances are just being wreckless.”
Glen Muller, chief traffic officer at the provincial traffic department, said the illegal use of lights does has not happened in Grahamstown much, although his department does keep a look out for such incidents. Muller said that although it is courteous to drive on the yellow lane, it is illegal to to allow faster driving motorists to pass.
