Transport and Public Works Minister, Robin Carlisle, launched the new Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) camera network system, being implemented on the 31.7km Three Sisters – Beaufort West to Laingsburg stretch of road in the province.
The project was initially implemented in October 2011 on a 71.6km stretch of road (the longest camera network of its kind in the world) between Beaufort West and Aberdeen (R61).
How it works:
- The Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) system calculates the average speed of a vehicle from the time it passes the first camera until it passes the second camera
- The average speed is then determined by the that it has taken a vehicle to travel from point A (where the first camera is located) to point B (where the second camera is located)
- Reaching point B in a time shorter than was is determined by the distance and the speed limit, means that the driver was speeding
“We are very proud to add yet another weapon to our law enforcement arsenal. This new ASOD now means that a total of 103.3km of the province’s most dangerous roads are now covered by this camera enforcement network. This will have a profound effect on our continued battle to reduce the carnage on the road. The figures show that our efforts are working. We have achieved the fastest and most significant road death reduction in the world, a reduction of 28% since we started with Safely Home in 2009. However, we must and will do more to ensure that we reach our target of halving fatalities by December 2014,” said Minister Carlisle.
Prior to the initial implementation on the R61 stretch from Beaufort West to Aberdeen, there had been a reported 509 crashes in total (75 of which being fatal crashes resulting in the loss of 149 lives).
“The province has over 20 000km of road that need effective enforcement. A major challenge has been the ill-discipline that exists amongst motorists on the road. Since the implementation of ASOD on the R61 stretch, we have received no reports of any fatal crashes on that stretch. Vehicles driving below the speed limit of 120km/h have risen from 61% to 74%, and conversely, those driving over the speed limit have gone down from 39% to 26%. This is a remarkable improvement that shows that more and more drivers are in fact slowing down,” added Carlisle.
Since November 2011 till November 2012; 17201 vehicles have been stopped with 1409 cases of speed being reported; 24 arrests have been made for excessive speeding (with the highest speed captured at 211km/h); 261 public transport related cases were reported with a total of five impoundments.
“We have also seen a rapid decline in the number of fines issued since the initial implementation. Notices issued have gone down from 2558 in January 2012, to 157 fines being issued in August 2012. Over the Easter period, 1929 fines were issued. July 2012 recorded the lowest number of fines issued, a total of 56.
“I would like to thank Safely Home, South African National Road Agency Ltd (SANRAL), the City and all our partners for bringing this project to fruition and for all the fantastic work that they do. Our goal was never to make money from fines. Our primary concern has always been to ensure that motorists will arrive safely at their destinations, particularly when travelling long distances. We are looking at extending this network to Touwsrivier and the R27 in the near future. Roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, and slowing down is often the difference between life and death," added Carlisle.
Media enquiries:
Siphesihle Dube, Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 483 8954
Cell: 084 233 3811
Fax: 021 483 2217
E-mail: Siphesihle.Dube@westerncape.gov.za
