Lerato Mbhiza
There have been 719 fatalities – a 4.3% drop, recorded in the first three weeks of the 2023/24 festive season compared to 751 in the same period, according to Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga together with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), when releasing mid-term festive season campaign statistics at the Villiers toll plaza in Mpumalanga on Friday.
Chikunga also said crashes have decreased by 0.8% in comparison to the festive period in 2022.
Gauteng recorded the most fatalities followed by Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KZN and Western Cape.
According to Chikunga fatal crashes start to increase between 7pm and 8pm as well as between 10pm to 11pm.
“Also in the early hours of the morning between 1am and 2am. There’s now a new phenomenon which is the emergence of crashes between 9am and 11am on usual days such as Mondays and Tuesdays.”
Road traffic officials have been on the ground implementing the festive season plan, which was launched at the end of November.
“As a result, our law enforcement officers conducted 423 roadblocks nationally in which 753 823 vehicles were stopped and checked.
“A total of 173 307 infringement notices were issued, 1 333 vehicles were discontinued, 2 619 vehicles were impounded, and 3 573 motorists were arrested for various offences. Drunken driving accounted for 1 114 arrests,” she said.
Chikunga added that top five infringements were speeding, driving without fastened seat belts, driving without a driving licence, unlicensed vehicles, and driving vehicles with smooth tyres.
The highest speed was recorded on R21 in Gauteng where a motorist was stopped while traveling at 206 km/h in a 120-kilometre zone.
Chikunga also expressed concern over the influence alcohol is having on motorists, especially since most road deaths occur during weekends.
“The highest alcohol content was recorded at Zwelitsha in the Eastern Cape where a motorist recorded a breath alcohol concentration of 1.97 milligrams per 1, 000 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 0,24 milligrams per 1,000 millilitres of breath.”
Pedestrian fatalities remain the leading cause of fatalities, followed by passengers and drivers.
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