Over 200 fatalities on Gauteng’s roads since festive season started
Gauteng Traffic Police warn they will be on high alert considering that the province has recorded several crashes and fatalities since the beginning of the festive season period.
Gauteng Traffic Police appealed to road users to ensure compliance with road safety rules and regulations to save lives.
Many motorists are expected to drive into the province from various destinations after being on holiday or for business purposes, resulting in high traffic volumes.
Major roads such as the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg, the N1 between Polokwane and Pretoria, The N4 between Mpumalanga and Pretoria, the N4 between Rustenburg and Pretoria, and the N1 between Bloemfontein and Johannesburg are expected to be heavily congested. The province has recorded several crashes since the beginning of the festive season period, and over 200 fatalities have been recorded to date.
We appeal to road users to comply with road safety rules and regulations to avoid unnecessary crashes resulting in fatalities. Road crashes and fatalities contribute to the alarming rate of disabilities and deaths in the province.
“This is largely attributed to the attitude and behaviour of road users such as unsafe overtaking, unsafe lane changing, over-speeding, pedestrian jaywalking, and lack of concentration by drivers. Substance abuse and vehicle fitness have also compounded the situation on our roads,” said Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson Sello Maremane.
“The Gauteng Traffic Police will be on high alert as part of the integrated law-enforcement plan to deal decisively with road-traffic violations such as drunk driving, reckless and/ or negligent driving, speeding, jaywalking, freight overloading and roadworthiness.
The Gauteng Traffic Police will also be conducting regular mobile testing operations focusing particularly on public transport and freight transport,” added Maremane.
The Gauteng Traffic Police have offered the following safety tips to drivers to ensure their safety:
• They must ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy upon embarking on a trip.
• They must always maintain a safe following distance.
• They must switch on their headlamps when it is raining to enhance visibility.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol must be avoided at all costs.
• They must consistently adhere to the prescribed speed limit.
