More than 600 000 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked across the country between 1 and 31 December as part of the Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign.
At the launch of the campaign in early December, Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele said that no less than one million vehicles and drivers will be stopped and checked in December and January.
More than 600 000 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked across the country between 1 and 31 December as part of the Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign.
At the launch of the campaign in early December, Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele said that no less than one million vehicles and drivers will be stopped and checked in December and January.
According to preliminary reports, 1050 deaths (276 drivers, 419 passengers and 355 pedestrians) were recorded on South African roads in December.
Speed has been reported as a major contributory factor to these fatalities.For the same period during 2008, 1 348 deaths were recorded on the country’s roads.
Minister Ndebele urged people to realise that: "Road deaths are more than mere statistics. These are the lives of human beings; the lives of mothers, fathers and children. One death on our road is one death too many.
"Road safety is no accident. We cannot continue to lose approximately 14 000 lives on our roads every year costing billions of rands." He said, "the thousands of arrests and fines since December, as part of the Festive Season Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign, is a clear indication that government is, indeed, serious about enforcement, enforcement and enforcement.
Our zero tolerance approach towards all traffic offences will certainly be intensified beyond the festive season as part of government’s strategy to address the carnage on the roads 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
"We therefore urge all South Africans to make road safety part of their New Year resolutions or risk losing their driving licence this year." Through the introduction of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) the minister says that this year will encourage a culture of compliance through the Points Demerit System and those who continue to disregard the law will forfeit their driving licence. "Obey the law or pay the price," he warned.
During December, more than 285 000 motorists were fined for speeding; 3 487 drunk drivers were arrested; 244 motorists were arrested for wreckless and negligent driving; 2 517 un-roadworthy vehicles were removed from the roads (including 1 209 buses and taxis); and thousands of drivers were fined for not wearing of seatbelts and other offences.
Traffic volumes are expected to increase over the next few days as several people return home and resume work. Law enforcement officers will continue to be out in full force to ensure safety on the roads.
Road safety is everybody’s responsibility. All road users are encouraged to report bad driving to the following toll-free number: 0861 400 800.
