SA authorities brace themselves for New Year’s traffic
South Africa’s traffic law enforcement authorities are bracing themselves for bumper traffic volumes over the New Year festive period, with a promise of highly visible and tighter traffic control.
Simon Zwane of the Road Traffic Management Corporation said on Tuesday that traffic was expected to increase in the coming days as motorists moved to different venues to celebrate the dawn of the New Year. Thereafter, holidaymakers would be driving back to major cities to resume work at the end of the holiday period.
“This festive season has been exceptionally busy for all traffic authorities in the country,” Zwane said. “They have managed to stop about a million vehicles in all roadblocks that have been set up in all the major national routes and provincial roads.
“The abuse of alcohol, speeding, reckless and negligent driving have emerged as major issues,” he added. “These issues have been identified in most crashes that have been investigated during this period.”
The RTMC also cited stray animals and jaywalking as a significant contributory role in the number of crashes and fatalities recorded.
“Head-on and multiple vehicles collisions have been common as a consequence of drivers overtaking when it is unsafe to do so, driving in wrong lanes, tyre bursts and brake failure.”
The RTMC said a consolidated report of all crashes and fatalities would be released at the end of the festive season in January once all accidents had been collated, verified and validated.
“It is critical that South Africans are provided with accurate and verified information about the state of safety on the roads because roads are a shared space and users are important stakeholders.
“We call on all the non-governmental organisations to work with us in promoting responsible and appropriate behaviour on the roads to reduce carnage.”
The RTMC urged members of the public and road users to call 0861 400 800 to report bad behaviour on the road.
ANA
(File photo)