Radical attempts to curb road fatalities

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Cabinet today (Wednesday, 19 October 2011) heard of radical measures to be employed by the provincial Department of Transport in an attempt to put an end to fatal road accidents.

Head of Department Chris Hlabisa tabled a report with shocking statistics of how many people have been killed on KZN roads. Between April 1 and 17 October this year, a total of 1,310 people were killed in 732 accidents. He said there have been accidents claiming five lives or more, with 376 accidents claiming 456 lives from August 1 to 17 October.

“This has become a national crisis, and these numbers are not acceptable,” said Hlabisa.

He said a number of routes have been identified as red spots, including the N3 Estcourt, N2 Mkhuze, N2 Pongola, P38 Danhauser, R617 Franklin/Swartberg, N2 Mandini and N2 Maposa.

“It is of great concern that these accidents involve the public modes of transport, which carry the highest volume of people. The major cause identified in these incidents is disregard for the rules of the road,” he said.

Hlabisa said the province is spending millions of rands in the aftermath of the accidents, and that the Road Accident Fund is also affected.

Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo said the report does not take into account the cost to his department, which has to take care of the survivors.

“Sending a helicopter to airlift a patient from a remote accident scene costs the department R50 000. The level of specialised care needed by the patient means we have to spend R10 000 a day on one patient,” he said, adding that there are further costs after recovery, which may include therapy and artificial limbs.

Among the proposed interventions is the intensification of law enforcement, with the province planning to stop and check 170 000 vehicles per month.

A Red Spot Response Team has already been announced, and will focus on law enforcement in Red Spot areas. Technology such as mobile break testers, average speed over distance, including Automatic Number Plate Recognition Vehicle is widely used in enforcement across the province.

There is also a proposal to focus on learner drivers to ensure they emerge as disciplined road users.

“A case in point could be the withdrawal of a drivers’ license from new drivers found to be involved in an accident within six months of getting the license,” Hlabisa said.

The department is also considering tightening legislation to squeeze out offenders from the roads.

Hlabisa said the department is also exploring the possibility of installing devices in vehicles, which will limit the speed of the vehicle.

“We have established an Integrated Traffic Law Enforcement Committee to obtain legal opinion on interventions including the reduction of the speed limit from 120 to 100km/h,” he said adding the reduction of speed limit for heavy motor vehicles to 80km/h is being considered.

He said there is also a consideration of whether the owner of a vehicle could be held liable for expenses incurred after an accident, and the possibility of withdrawing operating licenses for repeat offenders.

MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mr Willies Mchunu – who chaired the Cabinet sitting – said it is abnormal to have so many people killed in the province’s roads.

“Some of the measures that are going to be proposed will be unpopular and may cause a lot of debate, but we cannot allow the situation to continue,” said Mchunu.

Enquiries:
Cyril Madlala
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