From time to time the country loses children on the roads every year being transported to schools in unroadworthy vehicles. In other cases lives are lost due to drivers driving school children without permits and professional driving permits (PRDPs).
The back- to-school period called for the traffic authorities to step up vigilance on the major school routes around the country. One of the areas targeted today was Laudium in Tshwane on the R55 where 28 vehicles carrying school children were impounded by the Gauteng Traffic Police. The vehicles ranged from bakkies, ventures, kombis and two busses.
The vehicles that are generally used for such purposes are minibus taxis, Light delivery vehicles (LDVs or vans) some with or without canopies and light motor vehicles (LMVs or cars). Drivers pack these children like sardines, such that some sit in the bin of the van or squashed without safety restraints or seatbelts.
In the event of a crash, the children are flung around in the back of the van or in the vehicle or thrown outside of the vehicle causing more serious injuries and gruesome death. The Road Traffic Management Corporation together with the traffic authorities are determined to eradicate this kind of practice on the roads and gives support to all the authorities to impound even more vehicles. It is for this reason that all traffic authorities nationwide are on a high alert and taking a zero-tolerance stance to close in on such vehicles. This is part of the National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP) and a continuation of the enforcement operation to make roads safe also for the school children.
For further information contact:
Ashref Ismail
Cell: 071 680 3448
