In an effort to change the attitudes of taxi drivers, reduce accidents and encourage responsible driving, Brandhouse together with the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison have embarked on a campaign to educate drivers about road safety and enhance their driving skills.
In the campaign, drivers compete with one another by demonstrating their driving skills and go through a theory test to check if they know the rules of the roads and if they do adhere to driving rules.
The campaign was launched late last year in this province and this year, best drivers in the national competition will walk away with four Quantum mini buses and R50 000 worth of fuel.
Drivers who will win in provinces are the same drivers who will compete with other drivers form other provinces during the national competition.
Yesterday (19 April 2012), the department together with the Brandhouse staged a competition in Middelburg Iraq Taxi Rank where over 20 drivers participated.
During the competition, Road Safety Senior Manager Busi Nkuna said that although it was a competition, drivers must practice road safety at all times when driving.
She said that most accidents that occurred involved public transport where a huge number of people were always involved.
“It is therefore important that you change your attitudes when driving on the roads and always put safety first before money and targets to prevent unnecessary accidents,” said Nkuna to the taxi drivers.
He also urged them to become road safety ambassadors even if they do not win to educate other drivers who did not get the opportunity to enter into the competition.
Today (20 April 2012), officials proceeded to the Ermelo Taxi Rank for a similar activity. The regional completions will continue running in other regions of the province for the next coming week and later this year, a provincial competition will be held to select best drivers who will represent the province at the national competition.
Meanwhile, as part of the programmes of the Road Safety Education Unit, the department today (20 April 2012) visited Zikhuphule Primary school to teach learners about road safety.
The programme started off with the monitoring of a scholar patrol of the school where later the team of the scholar patrol was awarded with certificates.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Cell: 082 678 1450
Tel: 013 766 4055
The search for best taxi drivers is on
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