Holiday season traffic deaths and accidents dropped by less than 5% compared with a year ago, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Wednesday.
Radebe issued his report on the December 1 to January 10 holiday season traffic at Atteridgeville in Gauteng.
The number of fatal accidents dropped by 59 from 1 428 to 1 369 compared with the same time a year ago.
Deaths dropped by 81 from 1 726 to 1 645.
”In short, we have achieved a reduction of 4,67% in fatalities and a reduction of 4,13 % in the number of fatal crashes, as well as a reduction of 4,5% in the number of vehicles involved,” said Radebe.
Deaths were up in four provinces and down in five:
- 334 deaths in Gauteng (up seven from 327);
- 212 in the Eastern Cape (up 11 from 201);
- 135 in the North West (up 12 from 123);
- 64 in the Northern Cape (up seven from 57);
- 331 in KwaZulu-Natal (down 16 from 347);
- 153 in Mpumalanga (down 25 from 178);
- 150 in the Western Cape (down 26 from 176);
- 138 in the Free State (down one from 139); and
- 128 in Limpopo (down 49 from 177).
A total of 430 drivers died (down from 434 a year ago), 570 passengers (down from 574) and 645 pedestrians (down from 718).
The number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes increased to 1 730 from 1 673.
These included 38 buses (compared with 40 a year ago), 25 minibus taxis (84), 164 minibuses (106), 137 trucks (139) and 28 cyclists (39).
”The ever-growing number of road-traffic crashes and related deaths demonstrate that we need to strengthen current programmes and interventions,” said Radebe.
He said the ”poor level of safety on our roads is directly related to the degree of lawlessness on the roads, which is unacceptable and intolerable”.
Radebe said more than 13 000 people die on the roads every year at a cost of more than R43-billion to the economy.
More vehicles on the road increase the problem, with more new — and inexperienced — drivers.
”Last year new vehicles sales in South Africa peaked to 714 340 units, 15,7% more than the number sold in 2005.”
To battle road deaths, Radebe said the number of traffic officers will be increased at all traffic authorities and there will be ”daily uninterrupted patrols at dangerous locations”.
Street lighting, traffic signals and traffic-calming measures will be improved and roads upgraded.
”I must also stress that the drivers’ demerit and merit-point system will also be piloted in Tshwane this year in order to deal with habitual traffic offenders.”
Vehicles used in drunk-driving and speeding offences may now be impounded.
”Our law enforcement agencies will arrest reckless drivers and will always ensure that such drivers forfeit their vehicles to the state. We are serious about this and the Asset Forfeiture Unit is working with us.”
The national department is spending R50-million a year on road safety and provincial departments of transport are putting more than R1,5-billion into road safety initiatives, in addition to municipal campaigns. — Sapa