Traffic Authorities on high alert for Easter holidays

As part of the make Roads Safe Campaign for the Easter holidays, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) together with its provincial and municipal traffic departments has fine tuned the national road safety plan and motorists are urged to ensure that all road traffic rules and regulations are obeyed.

The National Rolling Enforcement Plan, announced by Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele, has ensured that as an on-going campaign, more than six million vehicles were stopped and screened from the launch in September 2010. More than 2,5 million notices were issued for various offences, 27 000 mostly public passenger transport vehicles discontinued and 11 200 drivers arrested for drinking and driving.

“This on-going, hard hitting traffic enforcement is part of the clean-up for Easter and beyond. We want to make sure that people understand that road safety begins with the road user. We cannot continue to accept that people waiting to board public transport have a 50/50 percent chance of arriving safely”, said Mr Collins Letsoalo, Acting CEO of the RTMC.

Traffic authorities will be on high alert throughout the long Easter holidays along the major arterial routes and identified hazardous locations. The newly established, National Traffic Police Force will join hands with Gauteng traffic authorities to focus on vehicle fitness, public passenger transport vehicles, speeds too high for circumstances, alcohol enforcement and moving violations.

Three choppers sponsored by Discovery and ER24 will be deployed on the N1 Moria route, the N3 Van Reenen’s Pass, while one medical chopper will be on stand-by at Lanseria. A mobile broadcast unit will be travelling along the major routes communicating with the media, while indo centres, rescue camps and help centres will be located along select routes.

“Motorists are urged to take regular breaks and make the journey part of the holiday. Report bad driving to 0861 400 800”, he added. Pedestrians are urged to ensure that they do not drink and walk, jaywalk, walk on freeways and make sure that they are visible in the dark.

Activation of the mobile broadcast unit

Commencing Wednesday, 20 April 2011, the RTMC will be activating the Mobile Broadcast Unit and the media are invited to contact Ashref Ismail on 071 680 3448 to book interviews that will provide information on traffic volumes, traffic patterns, road conditions, road closures, road safety tips and hints, weather reports and high profile crash information. The unit will travel along the major arterial and secondary routes and will be on call 24/7.

The surveillance choppers will be in the air as follows and media are invited to contact the co-coordinators on the given numbers:

Kindly reserve your bookings by making appointments with the respective coordinator.

For further information please contact:
Ashref Ismail
Cell: 071 680 3448