19 December 2006
Pretoria: Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable road users and the number
of fatalities involving pedestrians is unacceptably high. Many people have now
arrived home or at holiday destinations. This connects to the problem of
excessive drinking. Therefore, the focus of our enforcement measures becomes
more multi-pronged with more officers deployed in holiday spots, townships,
villages, etc.
During this festive season it is very important to avoid drinking and
walking in an unsafe manner. The dangers of drinking and walking are tragically
evident because the high intake of alcohol can seriously slow down your
reactions and capabilities. By far the greater percentage of pedestrians
injured or killed on our roads are found to have high levels of alcohol in
their bloodstreams at the time of the accident.
"Motorists are urged to be on the lookout for pedestrians at night and when
visibility is poor especially during this festive season, because pedestrians
under the influence of alcohol are a walking disaster. Pedestrians often
under-estimate the speed and over-estimate the distance of an approaching
vehicle when crossing the road. This is made worse by the consumption of
alcohol. Even at 35 km/h (lower speed limits) a pedestrian can be killed or
seriously injured," warns the Department of Transport's Arrive Alive
Campaign.
Given the fact that over 40 percent of fatalities involve pedestrians, the
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has made it a priority to reduce
pedestrian related accidents this festive season.
Arrive Alive road safety tips for the safety of pedestrians and motorists
are:
* Always cross at intersections or at pedestrian bridges and crossings where
drivers expect to find pedestrians.
* Walk directly across the street. Do not walk diagonally. The shorter the
distances crossed, the less times you are at risk of danger.
* Try not to walk on the road. By walking on the road you will be putting
yourself at risk of being knocked down by fast approaching vehicles.
* If you have to walk on the roadside, always walk on the right-hand side as
close to the edge as possible facing oncoming traffic.
* Cross only when it is safe to do so and keep looking in both directions
and listening to oncoming traffic while crossing.
* Wear light coloured clothing at night to increase your visibility to
motorists.
* Motorists must look out for unsteady or staggering pedestrians who might
be under the influence of alcohol.
* Avoid walking or crossing the freeway because vehicles travel at very high
speeds. It is illegal for pedestrians to be on the freeway.
* At a pedestrian traffic light, wait until the little green man appears.
Then look right, left and right again before crossing. Look out for impatient
motorists.
The death toll on our roads stands at 715 from 610 crashes since 1 December
2006, lower than the 880 fatalities from 739 crashes same period last year. The
number includes 207 drivers, 232 passengers and 276 pedestrians. The provincial
breakdown is as follows: Gauteng 138, KwaZulu-Natal 138, Western Cape 69,
Eastern Cape 78, Free State 62, Mpumalanga 79, North West 69, Limpopo 55 and
Northern Cape 27.
Clearly from the statistics it shows that the pedestrian fatality rate is
too high and that pedestrians still remain the most vulnerable road user. Last
year by this time 391 pedestrians had been killed.
Contact:
Collen Msibi
Cell: 082 414 5279
Ntau Letebele
Cell: 082 923 9194
Thabo Tsholetsane
Cell: 082 496 5354
Issued by: Ministry of Transport
19 December 2006
Source: SAPA
