More than 450 000 motorists stopped and checked

21 December 2009

More than 450 000 vehicles and drivers have been stopped and checked from 1 to 20 December 2009, as part of the Festive Season Arrive Alive Road Safety campaign. No less than one million vehicles and drivers will be stopped between December and January.

Since 1 December, more than 2 500 drunk drivers have been arrested with 204 drunk drivers arrested this past Friday and Saturday (18 and 19 December) in the Eastern Cape alone. Among those arrested were one traffic officer, seven South African Police Service (SAPS) members, four South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members, four educators, three social workers, two members of Correctional Services, three nurses, one prosecutor and one doctor.

On Friday 18 December evening, 62 motorists were arrested for drinking and driving in road blocks in Soweto, Randburg and Johannesburg central in Gauteng. Since 1 December, more than 500 drunk drivers have been arrested in the Eastern Cape and 404 in KwaZulu-Natal.

More than 150 motorists have been arrested for reckless and negligent driving. More than 1 000 vehicles that are not roadworthy have been taken off the roads, including 250 buses and 200 taxis. More than 250 000 motorists were fined for speeding. Thousands of drivers were also fined for not wearing seatbelts and other offences.

According to preliminary reports, 619 deaths (169 drivers, 242 passengers and 208 pedestrians) were recorded on South Africa’s roads as a result of 478 fatal crashes, for the period 1 to 20 December.

Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has again warned road users to obey the rules or pay the price.

“We want to warn road users to obey all road rules or face the consequences of their actions. We also call upon each and every South African to partner with government in order to save families from the untimely trauma of road deaths. Roads deaths are not accidents, but are avoidable and deadly incidents. It is for this reason that we are calling for a partnership against road deaths, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

“This partnership must include communities, community based organisations, faith based organisations and non-governmental organisations. We must all join in this fight for safer roads. Let us use the spirit of the festive season to cement safer roads, to save lives and to kick road deaths out of our lives. We can achieve this by simply obeying all road rules. Let it start today! Let it start with you!” said the minister.

Road safety is everybody’s responsibility. All road users are encouraged to report bad driving on 0861 400 800.

Enquiries:

Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050

Issued by: Department of Transport
21 December 2009