Transport Minister, Joe Maswanganyi, appealed to pedestrians and motorists to work with traffic authorities during the festive season to ensure safety on the country’s roads which see a surge in traffic accidents and fatalities during this period.
In a statement released on Friday, Maswanganyi said that during the festive season an added responsibility was placed on traffic authorities who have the “mammoth task” of ensuring that people comply with the rules of the road in order to facilitate the seamless flow of traffic.
South Africa’s national roads — including the N1, N2, N3 and N4 — experience an increase in the number of vehicles, Maswanganyi said.
“Although we have taken a decision to ensure that we make road safety a 365-day business, it is inevitable that we double-up our efforts when we approach the festive season. This is due to the obvious fact that there’s a remarkable rise in traffic volumes,” he said.
Maswanganyi said the National Traffic Police located within the Road Traffic Management Corporation; provincial and municipal traffic authorities, and the South African Police Service is tasked to reduce and, where possible, eliminate the risk of crashes on our roads.
“They do their work despite hostility from uncooperative motorists at times with one primary objective in mind: to save people’s lives. The carnage we continue to experience on our roads is instigated by a number of factors mostly embedded in human behavior and vehicle factor,” Maswanganyi said.
“Road safety, first and foremost, is an individual road user’s responsibility. Once this notion is lost on any road user: motorists, passengers and pedestrians alike, the battle against road carnage is undermined. Our traffic law enforcement officers will continue to conduct more roadblocks throughout the country during this festive season and beyond.”
He said of “particular interest” the law enforcement operations will target enforcement of legislation of wearing seatbelts, using cell phones while driving, un-roadworthy vehicles, as well as drunken driving, excessive speed and other moving violations.
“It is a universally accepted fact that conspicuous patrol of freeways, streets and public places by uniformed officers inconspicuously marked vehicles is the best means available for the prevention of road traffic violations.”
– African News Agency
