PRETORIA, April 30 (ANA) – Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has called on motorists to take extra care on the roads this long-weekend.
“During the end of the month of April every year, South Africa experiences increased road traffic in major routes of our country as a result of the commemoration of the international workers’ day on the 1st of May every year,” she said in a statement.
“South Africans commemorate May Day by attending political, cultural, as well as social activities, with many other people using the long-weekend to visit family.”
It was important that road users remained extremely cautious on the road during this period. Road safety should always be at the top of road users’ priorities. Drivers should always consider the threats and possible worst case scenarios and plan to avoid as many of these as possible.
Peters said she was concerned that weekends continued unabated to pose a major problem as demonstrated by “carnage on the roads”, with most crashes occurring on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 2pm and 11pm.
“Human factor contributes the most to these crashes, with many collisions occurring as a result of jay-walking, speeding, overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic, hit-and-run, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
“Our road safety analysis brings to the fore a very painful reality of the role played by unroadworthy vehicles. Key to the vehicle factors that contributed to the crashes are tyre bursts, faulty brakes, and smooth tyres.”
Peters urged motorists to adhere to the speed limit, avoid driving under the influence of alcohol, avoid using cellphones while driving, ensure their vehicles were roadworthy, not to cross the road where it was unsafe to do so, to take regular breaks when travelling, and to buckle up, as safety belts saved lives.
– African News Agency (ANA)
