South Africa rates amongst countries with the highest road accident fatalities due to limited road safety education as well as not adhering to traffic regulations and Gauteng province, with a large vehicle population, is the highest contributor. The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is, therefore, introducing the Learner Driver Support Project aimed at raising road safety awareness and improving driver behaviour through education. The project is aimed at enabling Grade 11 and 12 learners to acquire drivers' licenses.
In her State of the Province Address, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane stated that mobile computerised learners' license testing facilities will be made available in schools to introduce driving and road usage skills to grade 11 and 12 learners and assist them in applying for learners' license. With road accidents costing the economy in the region of R43 billion per annum, this intervention will go a long way to raise awareness and tackle the problems of road safety, drivers and passengers not buckling up, speeding, lack of driving skills and the culture of non-compliance with traffic regulations.
The objectives of the project include amongst others; to prepare high school learners to obtain learners and driving licenses; to instil a culture of road safety at critical level of learners' development; to raise road safety awareness through education; to enable learners to be economically active post matriculation.
Participating schools of the pilot project are Lesedi Secondary School in the Nokeng Tsa Taemane Municipality and Daspoort, Reitumetse as well as Modiri Secondary Schools in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The Learner Driver Support Project seeks to improve quality in road safety and focuses on young road users as they constitute a major group at risk of injury, disability and death on the roads.
Source: Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Government
