The festive season road accident death toll has been nearly halved in 2008, down to 774 fatalities compared to last year’s 1 474, the Department of Transport said on Monday.
”Seven hundred and seventy four people have died from 596 reported crashes on our roads,” said spokesperson Collen Msibi.
The statistics referred to the period December 1 to 29.
”The decrease is attributed to heightened enforcement operations and heavy traffic police presence on our roads since the start of the festive season.”
Of those who died on South African roads, 222 were drivers, 307 were passengers and 245 pedestrians.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the most fatalities at 144, followed by Limpopo with 129 fatalities, Gauteng with 117 and Mpumalanga with 107 fatalities. Free State had 74 fatalities, the Eastern Cape had 65 and the Western Cape 62.
North West recorded 51 deaths on the road while the Northern Cape apparently had the safest roads with 25 fatalities.
Msibi said police had been manning roadblocks to ensure vehicles were roadworthy and that drivers were sober.
He said most of the accidents had occurred because of speeding and disobeying road laws, such as overtaking on barrier lines as well driver fatigue.
”With New Year around the corner, plans are being sharpened to deal with all forms of reckless driving and suspected drunken driving cases.
”If found under the influence of alcohol you have no option of paying a fine until you have sobered up and appeared in court.”
On Monday, Netcare 911 said that over the Christmas long weekend, from midnight on December 25 until just before midnight on December 28, it had responded to 292 collisions in South Africa.
Spokesperson Nick Dollman said emergency vehicles were dispatched to 253 motor vehicle accidents and 39 pedestrian collisions. – Sapa