Thousands motorists fined over Christmas

In KwaZulu-Natal earlier today (27 December 2009), another taxi driver, aged 25, was arrested for travelling at 157km/h on the N2 near Umzinto.

This brings to more than five the number of taxi drivers arrested for speeding and drinking and driving in KwaZulu-Natal alone between the 24th and 27th of December. From Christmas Eve (Thursday, 24 December) to the early hours of this morning (Sunday, 27 December), 126 drunk drivers were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal with 50 arrests just in Pietermaritzburg.

Among those arrested in Pietermaritzburg was a 30-year-old female whose alcohol reading was 0.41g/100ml and who had two children and two adult passengers in the vehicle. Since 1 December, 583 drunk drivers have been arrested in KwaZulu-Natal. On Christmas Day, a 29-year-old motorist from Gauteng was arrested on the N2 near Sezela for travelling at 18km/h.

Numerous other motorists were arrested and/or fined during the Christmas weekend in other provinces as well and we are still awaiting reports from the various provinces.

From 1 to 26 December, as part of the Festive Season Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign, more than 500 000 vehicles and drivers have been stopped and checked.

No fewer than one million vehicles and drivers will be stopped between December 2009 and January 2010.

More than 3000 drunk drivers have been arrested. Approximately 2000 un-roadworthy vehicles have been removed from the roads, including about 1000 buses and taxis. More than 280 000 motorists were fined for speeding.

More than 200 motorists have been arrested for reckless and negligent driving. Thousands of drivers were also fined for non-wearing of seatbelts and other offences.

According to preliminary reports, 840 deaths (218 drivers, 327 passengers and 295 pedestrians) were recorded on South Africa's roads as a result of 654 fatal crashes, for the period 1 to 26 December 2009.

No mercy

Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has re-iterated that no mercy will be shown to those who break the law.

"Every year, approximately 14 000 people are killed on our roads in South Africa and we cannot allow this continue. We will therefore show no mercy to any road user who breaks the law.

The thousands of arrests and fines since December 1, as part of the Festive Season Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign, is a warning to other motorists that if your commit any traffic offence you will be caught and will face the full might of the law.

As of next year, with the introduction of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) and the Points Demerit System, motorists who blatantly continue to
disregard the law will not only be arrested and/or fined, but will also forfeit their driving licences.

"Roads deaths are not accidents, but are avoidable and deadly incidents. It is for this reason that we are calling for a partnership with each and every South African against road deaths, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year," said the Minister.

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

Source: Sapa

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