A senior national transport department official on Saturday lashed out at motorists for their behaviour on the country’s roads that shows a total disrespect for human life.
Wendy Watson, the general manager for land transport regulation and spokesperson for the Arrive Alive campaign, was reacting to an incident this week in which a Mpumalanga metro police officer stationed in Nelspruit was killed in a hit and run incident.
”It is totally unacceptable that year after year, lives are lost on roads unnecessarily due to disregard for the law,” said Watson.
Referring to the Mpumalanga incident, she said a member of the SA Police Services ”deliberately ignored the traffic officer and refused to stop while being pulled over at a roadblock”.
”The perpetrator was later arrested at a tollgate, and found to be under the influence of alcohol.”
Watson added that Easter traffic volumes were expected to pick up from Sunday and reminded motorists to wear their seat belts and child restraints.
She also called on pedestrians to wear reflective clothing to make themselves more visible and motorists should switch their headlights on — even during the day — so pedestrians can see their vehicles.
She pointed out that the department’s traffic centre has revealed that pedestrians represent the highest number of road fatalities. – Sapa