An update on the mid-festive season road safety has been released by the Western Cape MEC of Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie and 76 people have died on the province’s roads since the beginning of December.
Last year during the same period 77 people died.
“Thirty-four (45%) of the people who died were pedestrians, highlighting how it is often the most vulnerable road users who are at risk. The remaining fatalities were 26 passengers (34%), 14 drivers (18%), and two motorcyclists (3%).
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families mourning the untimely loss of these loved ones,” Mackenzie said.
He said many of the fatal incidents could have been prevented by simple actions that majority of road users follow such as checking vehicle and tyres, buckling up, not drinking and driving, not speeding or taking chances by dangerously overtaking other vehicles and stopping and resting when tired or every 200km.
Motorists are urged to take care on the roads this weekend.
“Our preliminary analysis shows that a number of the fatal crashes have involved drivers losing control of their vehicles. This suggests they could have been distracted while driving, using their cell phone, or falling asleep at the wheel.
“We have noticed that more incidents are happening during the day, instead of at night time. Our team is monitoring this emerging trend closely, and we have appealed to road users to take just as much care during the daytime as they normally would at night,” Mackenzie said.
Many of the road crashes have taken place within the Cape Metro, Garden Route, Cape Winelands, and along the West Coast.
Western Cape Provincial Traffic Officers have been deployed to specific locations on the major routes, where there is a probability of crashes occurring due to speeding and or reckless and negligent driving.
From December 1 to 20, Provincial Traffic Services have conducted 960 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and speed control operations; and stopped and checked 112,456 vehicles across the Western Cape.
A total of 35,951 fines were issued for various traffic violations ranging from driver to vehicle fitness. Fifty vehicles were impounded and 339 were discontinued for being found to be unroadworthy.
A total of 673 speeding offences were recorded, with the highest speed recorded as 182km/h in a 120km/h zone
A total of 322 arrests were made of which 226 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, 25 for reckless and negligent driving, 41 for possession of fraudulent documentation, and 11 for overloading goods.
A total of 65 crashes were recorded.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL