The MEC for Police, Roads and Transport in the Free State, honourable Butana Komphela, issued a stern warning to motorists to obey road traffic laws during the coming Easter weekend and other long weekends. The provincial law enforcement officers will be in full force on all provincial and national roads in the Free State to make sure motorists adhere to traffic laws and regulations. Those who disobey road rules will face the full might of the law.
Since the beginning of the year a number of accidents have been reported on our roads and the very tragic accident was on the N1 between Bloemfontein and Edenburg on the 30th March where six family members died in a head-on collision. This accident is a grim reminder of the dangers motorists and passengers may encounter while travelling on the road.
According to official statistics by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) the total cost of crashes in South Africa is a massive R307 billion per annum and about 14 000 people per annum - that is almost 40 people every day – die in road crashes.
There is still an alarming high number of 57 (2011/12) head-on collision annually. This usually goes hand-in-hand with crashes that were the result of human error.
The following were found to be the leading human factors for fatal accidents: driver failing to keep proper lookout, driver cannot keep vehicle under control and overtaking in unsafe conditions. Statistics also shows a high incidence of vehicle overturning. Although human factors can be blamed, motorists should definitely pay more attention to the leading factors regarding vehicles, namely tyre bursts and vehicle maintenance.
The most vulnerable road users are:
- 80% of the fatalities are adult and male in the age category of 19 – 34 years;
- just under 40% of fatalities comprises of pedestrians in urban and rural areas;
- new and inexperienced drivers (between ages of 25 – 34) are most susceptible;
- Regarding passengers, the majority of fatalities being females who rely on public transport, and
- Children are very vulnerable both as pedestrians and passengers.
The percentage of fatal crashes per time of day shows that the most dangerous time to be on the road is between 19h00 – 20h00. Saturdays and Sundays are the days with the most fatal crashes reported.
Provincial law enforcement officers had a busy month in March this year. The officers stopped and screened 72 638 vehicles. About 37 people were arrested, 6 for speeding, 9 illegal immigrants, 2 reckless driving, 1 for Fraud and 11 for driving under the influence of alcohol. 12 059 traffic fines were issues to motorists for various offences to the amount of R4 million.
These offences include moving violations, roadworthy issues and documents that were not in order. 1 502 of these fines were for speeding. Motorists are still not paying enough attention to the condition of their vehicle’s tyres and a total of 1 605 tickets to the value of R304 150 were issued for tyre defects.
MEC Butana Komphela would also like to invite media and all Free Staters to the provincial launch of Easter Road Safety Campaign scheduled as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Time: 09h30
Venue: Truck Stop, South bound, Ventersburg.
Kindly confirm your attendance with Ms Malijeng Mohale at 051 4037435 or mohalem@freetrans.gov.za on or before Monday, 14 April 2014.
Enquiries:
Saki Mohono
Cell: 082 385 5600
