DURBAN - THE AA said that blue light brigades transporting politicians posed a road safety threat for all motorists and their operation should be reviewed.
The AA said that it would communicate with the ministers of police and transport to have such a review of the so-called blue light brigades instituted urgently.
Layton Beard, spokesperson for the AA, said that “blue light brigades are, simply put, a threat to other drivers”.
Beard added that Section 58(3) of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) permits drivers of emergency vehicles such as traffic officers and duly authorised drivers, as well as a person appointed in terms of the SAPS Act who drives a vehicle in the carrying out of his or her duties, to disregard the directions of a road traffic sign displayed in the prescribed manner.
Those SAPS officers in the Presidential Protection Units (PPU) who transport politicians also fall under this act.
Beard said any driver who drove recklessly or was careless about the safety of other drivers on the road could be held liable for gross negligence where they posed a threat to property or another person whether they were driving a politician, delegate, VIP or a car fitted with a blue light, just like any other road user.
He said while the AA understood the use of the NRTA for emergencies and for authorities to carry out their work, “to invoke this legislation to transport VIPs at high speeds, with a total disregard of traffic laws, is not only unacceptable, it’s dangerous”.
“Road users should not be bullied off the road or be forced to give the right of way when it is not safe to do so. The law protects the safety of the road user first.”
He added that there was growing anecdotal evidence that PPU drivers were aggressive to other road users, that they drive way above the applicable speed limits and that they disrespect other road users.
“But the blame is not only theirs; their passengers are as much to blame, if not more so, than they are.”
Beard said that such behaviour negates any attempts by the government to address the country’s high annual road death numbers. “If blue light brigades are allowed to continue operating as they do now – unchecked and out of control – the government has no moral place to speak about the national road safety crisis in South Africa.”
Beard added that if politicians speak on road safety, and the need to deal effectively with the carnage on the country’s roads, they must also obey the rules and instruct their drivers to do likewise.
“When blue light brigades exceed speed limits, and drive dangerously and recklessly on the country’s roads, the message is that rules don’t apply to them, and the safety of other road users doesn’t matter to them.”
Mary de Haas, KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor, said that in the past blue light brigades had caused accidents and even deaths.
“These politicians have absolutely no right to behave like this. Their over-inflated sense of importance is nauseating as they are risking lives unnecessarily and wasting taxpayers’ money as these fast-driving convoys in expensive vehicles at high speeds also cost us petrol.”
Lirandzu Themba, Police Ministry spokesperson, said that they are aware of the statement of the AA.
“The ministry has noted the statement and awaits formal communication from the AA.”
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