by Mr Jeff Radebe, Minister of Transport, Tshwane
16 April 2009
Programme Director
DirectorâGeneral, Ms Mpumi Mpofu
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) CEO, Mr Ranthoko Rakgoale
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Let me start by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Road Traffic
Management Corporation (RTMC) and Department of Transport, provincial
departments responsible for traffic management, Metro Police and local traffic
authorities for their tireless efforts during this past Easter Weekend. I am
certain they will continue with the sterling work and build on the positives
that have emerged. As government we have provided leadership and contributed
resources to improving road safety, including developing and enforcing laws,
providing safer roads, informing the public about road safety issues and
fostering improvements in vehicle safety.
Our approaches to improving road safety do not exist in isolation. As you
may know road safety initiatives are generally valued largely on the basis of
the level of trauma reduced. However it is our view that it is important to
improve our understanding of the effects of safety policies and assess their
wider social benefits. We know speed reduction can result in reduced fuel
consumption, emissions and noise. Low speed on shared road environment is
conducive to walking and cycling â improving community cohesion, supporting
community health objectives and reducing trauma, particularly for
pedestrians.
Today, as we analyse crash data, we need to note that analysis and research
clearly identify road crashes as a significant public health risk. In our
country, road users tend to under-estimate or ignore many of the risks.
Although serious crashes happen every day on our roads, they are rare in the
experience of individual road users. Based on personal experience, most road
users conclude that whatever they have been doing is 'safe', and that their own
risk is negligible when they use the road.
The annual economic cost of road crashes in South Africa has been
conservatively estimated at R56 billion. For most people this staggering figure
has little meaning or impact mainly because costs are distributed across the
community: among crash victims and their families, the health system, and many
others including vehicle owners through payment of insurance premiums.
Resources are consumed in vehicle repair and replacement and in the provision
of insurance.
Whilst the aggregate economic cost and its major components are enormous, and
generally not well understood, the social, physical and emotional impacts of
road crashes are devastating for many individuals. Is it not high time that
road users ask themselves about their contribution to safety on our roads?
Ladies and gentlemen we have now created a powerful link between
communication and law enforcement and in the long term, we hope through
systematic educational interventions to change road user behaviour. We have
committed huge resources and are concentrating on sharply changing people's
perceptions of what will happen to them if they transgress. No doubt a close
working relationship between enforcement and communication is the most
effective means of changing behaviour. All planned activities are aimed at
behaviour change, and are driven as such to ensure maximum impact.
Our campaigns, as always, emphasise both the high likelihood for detection,
punishment and the cost of human life. I want to make an appeal to members of
the media to help us to put a different perspective to the way we report and
the way we transmit our messages. You got to emphasise the importance of human
life. If we truly value human life we will therefore highlighting the
consequences of irresponsible behaviour. We need to focus on people. We need to
look at improving people's knowledge of the road as well as their skills and
attitude towards driving and their fellow citizens.
This year's Easter period has come and gone but our commitment to ensure
safety on our roads will continue with more vigour. Our roads experienced
higher than normal traffic volumes. Long queues formed around toll plazas.
Roads were congested at the beginning and end of the Easter Holiday period. Let
me get into the statistics of the vehicle population.
Vehicle population
The number of registered vehicles increased by 211,242 (2,30%) from
9,182,677 on 31 March 2008 to 9,393,919 vehicles on 31 March 2009. On a
percentage basis the biggest change was for buses, which increased by 2,696
(6,61%) from 40,760 in 2008 to 43,456 in 2009. Minibuses increased by 1,425
(0,51%) from 280,632 to 282,057 and trucks increased by 11,972 (3,89%) from
307,828 to 319,800.
All motorised vehicles increased by 2,31% and towed vehicles increased by
2,17%.
On a provincial percentage basis the biggest increase in the vehicle population
was in Mpumalanga with an increase of 4,98% to 580,403 vehicles, followed by
Limpopo where the number of vehicles increased by 18,435 (4,32%) to
445,053.
Driver population
The number of learner driving licenses issued increased by 127,775 (11,30%)
from 1,130,663 at the end of March 2008 to 1,258,438 at the end of March
2009.
Learner licenses for motorcycles increased by 29,63% to 59,342; those for light
motor vehicles increased by 0,97% to 347,268 and those for heavy motor vehicles
increased by 14,97% to 851,828.
The number of driving licenses issued increased by 333,497 (4,06%) from
8,205,987 at the end of March 2008 to 8,539,484 at the end of March 2009.
Driving licenses for motorcycles larger than 125cc increased by 4,76% to
406,175; light motor vehicle licenses increased by 17,80% to 1,520,221 and
those for heavy motor vehicles between 3,5 to 16 tonne increased by 16,18% to
1,382,005 and articulated heavy vehicles exceeding 19 tonne increased by 10,21%
to 871,625. The number of professional driving permits (PrDPs) increased by
7,22% to 759,424.
Traffic volumes on Main Routes
Five-day traffic counts, from Thursday to Monday, were obtained from various
toll plazas on national routes around the country. There was an overall
increase (30,31%) in traffic volumes of 20 323 vehicles from an average of 67
042 at the seven counting stations in 2008 to an average of 87 365 vehicles
during Easter 2009.
On a percentage basis, the biggest increase was recorded at Groot Brak in
the Western Cape where the increase was 71,1%. On the N1 North, the increase
was 24,84% at the Carousel Plaza and 39,22% at Kranskop Toll Plaza (Detailed
traffic volumes information appears on media pack page 8).
Law Enforcement Actions
Ladies and gentlemen let me reassure the doubting Thomases that we have a
plan â the Rolling Enforcement Plan co-ordinated by the RTMC. This plan is
year-round and already it is making a huge difference in ensuring uniformity in
approach. Indeed we did hit hard at those who are a law unto themselves. The
following significant interventions were made:
* 776 arrests were made for drunken driving with KwaZulu-Natal accounting
for 424, Nelson Mandela Metro for 108, Johannesburg Metro for 99, Gauteng
province for 65 and Western Cape for 71.
* 61 arrests were also made for excessive speed.
* 36 for reckless and negligent driving.
I am certain those who felt the full might of the law will not repeat their
irresponsible. That is the message we want to send. That you disobey traffic
rules, you face the harsh reality of being locked up in jail. You better be
warned as these are not empty threats. We mean business! I want to applaud the
efforts of the entire road traffic management for the good work already done.
It is through your tireless efforts that I am confident to say we are beginning
to make a huge dent on the high levels of traffic contravention. I am sure you
will continue and improve the spirit of teamwork displayed over this past
Easter weekend.
All local and provincial traffic departments, Metropolitan Police
Departments and the SAPS were involved in the operations that aimed to remove
un-roadworthy vehicles and unlawful drivers from our roads. As a result of the
above enforcement plan and endeavours, the following decreases were
realised.
The Easter fatal crashes and fatalities
The number of fatal crashes over Easter 2009 decreased by 46 (0%) from 219
during 2008 to 173 in 2009. On a provincial basis the changes from Easter 2008
to 2009 were as follows:
* Gauteng: decrease of 19 (50%) from 38 to 19
* KwaZulu-Natal: decrease of 17 (0%) from 48 to 31
* Western Cape: decrease of 15 (0%) from 24 to 9
* Eastern Cape: decrease of 7 (0%) from 25 to 18
* Free State: decrease of 3 (25,00%) from 13 to 10
* Mpumalanga: decrease of 10 (0%) from 25 to 15
* North West: increase of 2 (0%) from 15 to 17
* Limpopo: decrease of 3 (0%) from 28 to 25
* Northern Cape: decrease of 1 (0%) from 3 to 2.
The number of fatalities over Easter 2009 decreased by 76 (23,82%) from 297
during 2008 to 173 in 2009. On a provincial basis the changes from Easter 2008
to 2009 were as follows:
* Gauteng: decrease of 18 (0%) from 44 to 26
* KwaZulu-Natal: decrease of 24 (0%) from 61 to 37
* Western Cape: decrease of 24 (0%) from 33 to 9
* Eastern Cape: decrease of 14 (0%) from 35 to 21
* Free State: increase of 8 (0%) from 14 to 22
* Mpumalanga: decrease of 24 (0%) from 46 to 22
* North West: increase of 3 (0%) from 20 to 23
⢠Limpopo: increase of 4 (0%) from 31 to 35
* Northern Cape: decrease of 1 (0%) from 3 to 2.
Major accidents
Eight crashes occurred during Easter 2008 resulting in the deaths of 45
people. During 2009, 13 people died from two major crashes. In one crash in
Mpumalanga on the R33 between Carolina and Wonderfontein a sedan and bakkie
collided due to unsafe overtaking on a blind rise. Five people were killed and
three injured.
In another, eight people were killed and four injured when two mini-buses
collided after one ignored a stop sign in Free State on R26 near Hobhouse and
R702 intersection.
The contributory factors to these major crashes tell us in no uncertain
terms that the loss of lives in both cases was unnecessary and could have been
avoid. The simple truth is that motorists endanger their own lives and that of
other innocent road users. They need to obey traffic rules.
The contributory factors to crashes
Three main factors were causes of the crashes, which is the human, vehicle
and road factors.
Human factors
* Speed too high for circumstances (48%)
* Pedestrian Jay Walking (36%)
* Overtook when unlawful/unsafe (six percent)
Hit and run (six percent)
U-turn (2,4%)
Intoxicated driver (1,6%)
Vehicle
Tyre burst prior to crash (65,5%)
Faulty steering (25%)
Faulty brakes (12,5%)
Road
Sharp bend (33,3%)
Poor condition of road surface (33,3%)
Poor visibility (16,7%)
Road surface slippery/wet (16,7%)
Five-year trend: crashes and fatalities:
Year: 2004
Crashes: 187
Fatalities: 205
Year: 2005
Crashes: 196
Fatalities: 243
Year: 2006
Crashes: 197
Fatalities: 258
Year: 2007
Crashes: 251
Fatalities: 320
Year: 2008
Crashes: 219
Fatalities: 297
Year: 2009
Crashes: 173
Fatalities: 197
The figures as indicated are high. Random or inexplicable fluctuations in
road death data over short periods are common. Despite, the apparent increase
in the national death rate between 2004 and 2007, there may still be an
underlying long-term downward trend. There has, in fact, been a marked
reduction in road deaths from 2008 to date. Already we are building on the
successes achieved thus far. If we are to meet the Millennium Development Goals
of halving road deaths, concerted action is required to achieve another big
decrease.
In conclusion, let me emphasise the point that the responsibility for
reducing road trauma is shared among governments (local, provincial and
national), communities, industries, business and individuals. Collaborative
action among jurisdictions and among agencies within jurisdictions is a feature
of Road Traffic Management Corporation. Formal collaborative actions embrace
the understanding that success requires all of us to commit to safety actions
which complement government initiatives. This sense of shared responsibility is
a fundamental tenet of the RTMC which is incorporated in their plans.
My provincial colleagues, responsible for transport and traffic related
matters, are the leaders and co-ordinators of road traffic within their
provincial boundaries. Their responsibility is to serve as a link to the
metropolitan and local authorities that, together with the provincial traffic,
engineering and educational services provide the foot soldiers on the ground. I
would like to thank them for their dedication and commitment, and may they
continue with the hard work they have been doing.
Arrive Alive
Indeed we firmly believe that "Working Together We can Do More!" For us it
is not just a slogan.
Issued by: Department of Transport
16 April 2009
Source: Road Traffic Management Corporation (http://www.rmtc.co.za)
