Festive travel

Road Safety

By Jessie Taylor

A renewed focus on festive season road safety

Road safety tips

Annually, thousands die on South African roads over the festive season. To ensure those travelling to celebrate with their loved ones arrive safe and sound, the government has announced a range of safety measures to prevent road accidents this year.

The City of Cape Town has launched an automated

highway patrol unit efforTs cenTred on reducing road deaThs

During the last festive season, there were 1 685 deaths on the country’s roads – during a period of just 42 days. This saw the death toll rise by 14% from the 2020 holiday period. Seven provinces saw an increase in fatalities, but most of the deadly accidents took place in the Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said most of the fatalities were caused by jaywalking, speeding on wet and slippery roads, overtaking across barrier lines and poor visibility. Many of the accidents were caused by a single motor vehicle overturning and head-on collisions. In an effort to reduce road deaths this year, both national and provincial governments are stepping up visibility and enforcement operations.

Police Minister Bheki Cele recently launched the 2022 safer festive season operational plan, ushering in a season of heightened visibility countrywide. He announced that the plan would run in tandem with intensified, integrated crime prevention and crime combating operations.

The campaign, which will run until the end of January, looks to mobilise maximum resources to ensure safety and security for communities across the country.

One focus area of the plan is enforcing by-laws and ensuring the enforcement of road safety together with metro and national traffic law enforcement officers.

A proactive approach to safety Ahead of the festive season, the City of Cape Town has launched an automated highway patrol unit. The unit can automatically track motorists with outstanding warrants, as well as identify duplicate or cloned licence plates.

The 32-member strong unit will be used to enforce traffic laws and to assist motorists who find themselves in emergency situations during the holiday season.

In Gauteng, Premier Panyaza Lesufi launched the province’s festive season campaign with the aim of educating the public on road safety and ensuring fewer fatalities during this festive season.

Premier Lesufi said that all resources in the province would be mobilised to fight crime and promised that CCTV cameras and drones would be employed to ensure safety in the province. He added that six helicopters would be made available to fight lawlessness over the festive season.

In KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has warned that law enforcement agencies will be increasingly active this festive season. She said there would be heightened law enforcement visibility across the province, with a focus on provincial and national roads. “The vision of government is ensuring that the people of KwaZulu-Natal live in a safe and secure environment,” she said.Premier Dube-Ncube called for stakeholders to play a role in reducing road accidents. “We call on the road freight industry to attend to the issue of errant truck drivers whose negligent driving has taken many lives in the province recently. We remember vividly the Pongola horrific accident [sic]. The multiple truck accidents a few weeks ago claimed more lives. Our roads cannot be turned into mass graves and places of untimely deaths. The Road Traffic Inspectorate has a huge responsibility to make every road user feel that when in KwaZulu-Natal you drive responsibly or face the music,” she said.

road safeTy Tips for The fesTive season

Many South Africans will be taking to the roads to travel to loved ones over the festive season. To ensure your safety, as well as that of fellow road users, follow these safety tips. • Obey the rules of the road and carry your driver’s license with you. • Plan the route to your holiday destination well in advance, and allow yourself enough time to reach the destination. Try to avoid driving after dark. • Make sure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before departure. Check that all lights and indicators, windscreens, windscreen wipers, brakes, steering, shock absorbers, exhaust system and tyres are in good working condition. • Ensure you are well rested when you embark on your journey, and take regular breaks while travelling. It is recommended to take a break every two hours or 200km. • As the driver, always wear your seat belt and ensure that all passengers are also wearing theirs. • Drive defensively and try to recognise potentially dangerous drivers on the road, and keep well clear of them. Also, keep an eye open for pedestrians alongside the road. • Maintain at least a 2-second following distance - this distance should be increased at night, in foggy or rainy conditions and when the road is wet. • Always adhere to the speed limit, as driving too fast or too slowly can be a potential hazard. Only overtake when it is absolutely safe to do so. • Drive with your lights on. This will make you more visible to other drivers. • Always be prepared for emergencies and keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. • Never drink and drive. • Avoid distractions while driving, such as using a cellphone.