Media blackout on road deaths questioned
Instead of communicating facts, the RTMC has chosen to engage in threats against motorists
Justice Project South Africa has questioned the current media strategy of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Department of Transport not to release statistics on road deaths for this festive season.
When the current festive season death toll showed signs of having dramatically grown over last year’s horrific carnage, the RTMC and Department of Transport suddenly stopped reporting the ongoing death toll, stating they would do so “once it had been verified”.
On December 20 it sent out a media release stating it would only do so in January, after the festive season comes to an official end.
While we readily acknowledge that road death tolls need to be verified and the United Nations best practices for reporting thereof need to be adhered to so as to accommodate those who pass away up to 30 days after a road crash, just because the preliminary death toll this year is apparently higher than last is no reason to employ an effective media blackout thereon.
It is arguable that while an ongoing tally of road deaths and injuries may not affect the behaviour of all road users, it is undeniable that it does have the effect of making some people more cautious than they would ordinarily be and any effective road safety campaign must employ every tool at its disposal.
Instead of communicating facts, the RTMC has chosen to engage in threats against motorists, some of which have been invalid since they would constitute unlawful arrest.
It should be clear that this strategy is not having the desired effect, judging by some of the horrific crashes which have occurred this festive season and the lawlessness which prevails on our roads, not only over the festive season, but at any given time of the year.
What should be of even more concern than only road fatalities is the proportion of people who are injured in road crashes and there are lots of examples of crashes which have occurred where, while only one person has died, 15 or more have been injured.
It would appear that neither the RTMC, nor the Minister and Department of Transport take road safety seriously since they are doing everything other than adopting internationally proven best practices. This is very sad for South Africa and for those who have been and will be injured or killed in road crashes.
JPSA urges all motorists to drive defensively and in the interests of self-preservation and protecting their family, friends and all other road users from the carnage that prevails and continues to get worse on our roads.
