The government has strengthened its call for South Africans to join hands in an effort to end road accidents, which claim 40 lives daily.
Transport Minister Ben Martins has appealed to all South African road users, including pedestrians, passengers and motorists, to take personal responsibility for their safety on the roads.
The government has strengthened its call for South Africans to join hands in an effort to end road accidents, which claim 40 lives daily.
Transport Minister Ben Martins has appealed to all South African road users, including pedestrians, passengers and motorists, to take personal responsibility for their safety on the roads.
“As a signatory to the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 campaign, which aims to reduce road deaths around the world by 50%, South Africans form part of the global community that carries the responsibility to reach this milestone.
“We call on all South Africans to play their part in helping us in the achievement of this important milestone,” he said.
Through implementing the National Rolling Enforcement Plan to make South Africa’s roads safe, a total of 910 248 vehicles were stopped and checked by law-enforcement officers across the country last month.
A total of 243 130 notices were issued for various traffic offences, 16 000 of which were for not wearing seatbelts, both for front and rear vehicle occupants; 2 322 vehicles were discontinued and 1 728 were impounded as part of the enforcement plan.
A further 1 744 drivers were arrested, 935 of whom were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Several major crashes were also reported, with the most common crash types being head-on collisions and single vehicles overturning.
This was mostly due to unsafe overtaking, the driver failing to keep a proper lookout and excessive speed.
Through the safety plan, implemented by the Road Traffic Management Corporation), an agency of the department, more than one million vehicles are stopped and checked every month for compliance. – SAnews.gov.za
