Cape Town Traffic Police: 5 MORE DIE ON CAPE ROADS

7 Jan 2013
Cape Argus
Natasha Prince STAFF REPORTER

Traffic chief urges caution behind the wheel

‘WE CAN’T KEEP ON LOSING 40 PEOPLE A DAY. IT COSTS THE ECONOMY MORE THAN R300BN EVERY YEAR’

AS STREAMS of holidaymakers returned home this weekend the death toll continued to soar with as many as 1 300 people having died since the beginning of the festive season – higher than this time last year.

By 3.30pm yesterday five people had died in road deaths in the province this weekend.

Yesterday Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa gave an update on figures from the scene of one of the fatal accidents, on the N1 near Prince Albert where two women died when a light motor vehicle and a bakkie collided.

Africa said there were two truck accidents on Saturday, the first at 9am along the Vanrhynsdorp Pass.

The driver had lost control and overturned a truck, which crushed down the mountain. A man and a woman were killed, Africa said.

Later, between around 3pm and 4pm, another truck had overturned between Paarl and Worcester.

In December the Western Cape saw 153 road deaths, compared to 151 in December 2011.

Africa said negligence, behavioural problems and fatigue contributed to 80 percent of road accidents this festive season, even though road traffic in December had increased by 7 percent compared to the year before.

“It seems most of our accidents are taking place between the Beaufort West, Aberdeen, Laingsberg areas and also on the N2 – Mossel Bay, Garden Route areas,” Africa said.

“One pertinent thing is that people just don’t want to adhere to the call not to drive if you are not well rested.”

On Saturday the death toll during the festive season on Western Cape roads reportedly stood at 160, with seven deaths recorded last week alone.

On Saturday the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said the festive season death toll on the nation’s roads had risen to 1 300.

RTMC spokesman Ashref Ismail said the main causes of fatalities were speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and walking while drunk.

“We need to change our mindset. We can’t continue like this. We can’t keep on losing 40 people a day. It costs the economy more than R300 billion a year,” said Ismail.

Traffic officers set up 24 roadblocks across the province this weekend and checked 2 850 vehicles and tested alcohol levels of 1 215 motorists. Eleven alleged drunk drivers were arrested. One motorist was caught driving at 166km/h in a 100km/h zone, between Worcester and Paarl on the N1.

Fines totalling R234 000 were issued for various traffic offences.

Officers tested 31 091 drivers for speeding of which 4 063 were fined.

In the past four days four drivers were arrested for speeding, with the fastest speeds 213km/h, 178km/h, 163km/h and 166km/h. These drivers were arrested “on the spot” Africa said.

Among the high speeds recorded this weekend, officers found drivers doing 176km/h in a 120km/h zone between Paarl and Brackenfell; 189km/h in a 100km/h zone between Worcester and Paarl; 117km/h in a 80km/ h zone along the N2 near Swellendam, and 105km/ h in a 60km/h zone near Oudsthoorn.

Africa said that overtaking when it was not safe, drivers’ impatience, and road rage were still concerns.