and Liaison MEC B Cele during the Driver of the Year competition
26 August 2007
Protocol observed.
A study on the vehicles involved in fatal crashes in 2004 revealed that
heavy motor vehicles (trucks) contributed to 6,56 percent of road traffic
fatalities in South Africa. This figure may not seem high but the fact of the
matter is that the Department says: 'One death is one too many.'
The citizens of our country are worried and deeply shocked by the recent
spate of crashes involving public transport and heavy vehicles. Speed, drinking
and driving, fatigue, unsafe overtaking, ignoring of traffic signals and other
traffic signs, general reckless, inconsiderate, negligent and aggressive driver
behaviour, pedestrian carelessness and unsafe crossing of roads, drinking and
walking, tyre bursts, poor vehicle maintenance, brake failure, poor lighting
and unsafe following distances all these are some of the main causes of
accidents.
1. This situation is totally unacceptable, and it cannot be allowed to
continue unchallenged. Enough is enough; I therefore hope that programmes such
as the Driver of the Year Competition will enhance the driving skills,
competence and safety consciousness of heavy motor vehicle drivers.
In order to combat this continued daily carnage on our road and street
network, our enforcement agencies are in full force with operations like
"Thath'Iskorokoro," to deal with un-roadworthy buses.
My Department also ensures that weighbridges are maintained up to standard.
The permissible dimensions and masses of vehicles operating on public roads are
limited by the Road Traffic Act and Regulations for road safety and investment
purposes.
However, under special circumstances it is necessary to accommodate vehicles
or loads that are practically unable to comply with the provisions of the Road
Traffic Act and Regulations.
In such cases the Act empowers road authorities to issue exemption permits
under strictly controlled conditions in terms of guidelines set out. I am
saying this because overloading is causing a huge damage on our road
infrastructure. It is costing the government over R4 million per kilometre to
construct tarred road.
2. I take this opportunity and thank all the participants. The competition
serves as an incentive for the business sector to invest in advanced
driver-training for the drivers of heavy duty vehicles. Skilled drivers
contribute to saving of human lives and reduction of vehicle maintenance costs,
including fleet management.
I am glad also that this competition has a special category of female bus
driver even though it still does not exclude women from competing with men in
the other categories.
But I want to emphasise that this competition also needs to focus on
educating drivers about human relations and tolerance on the road. We really
need to improve our conduct on the road.
We need to do away with the perception that South African drivers are bad
drivers and show that we can be good drivers who are sensitive to road
safety.
In conclusion, I urge you as drivers in KZN, to always support government in
its efforts to decrease road accidents. Please drive safely as you travel back
home. Use our Mpimpa hotline 086 221 1010 to report incidents on the road.
Drive safely if you are a long-distant driver because a healthy driver means
that there is a healthy nation. An unhealthy driver poses a potential road
risk.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport, KwaZulu Natal Provincial
Government
26 August 2007
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport (http://www.kzntransport.gov.za/)
