Reduction in road accident fatalities during festive season in Mpumalanga

A year ago, the 2021/2022 festive season saw 189 people lose their lives in road accidents in Mpumalanga.

According to statistics released by the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, this number decreased by 23.8% and stood on 144 fatalities between December 1, 2022, and January 11, 2023.

The department said the increased co-operation and adherence to the rules by most motorists, as well as intensified law enforcement operations, are some of the reasons why Mpumalanga recorded a reduction in fatalities.

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The province came second among the provinces in the country for reducing fatalities in crashes recorded over the most recent festive season. This is according to mnister of transport, Fikile Mbalula, during the tabling of the Festive Season Arrive Alive Report today, January 17.

A reduction was also recorded in crashes and slight injuries. The province recorded 727 crashes compared to the 745 that were recorded during the previous holiday season.

About 738 people sustained slight injuries during the previous season, and in 2022/23, 803 slight injuries were recorded. Serious injuries increased by 34, resulting in 461.

Of the total number of people who died in these crashes, 54 were drivers, 47 passengers and 41 pedestrians. Two cyclists are also among the victims.

The number of fatalities among pedestrians increased by four, compared to the previous festive season.

The report also revealed that municipal roads recorded a high number of crashes, followed by the N4 toll road, the N11, the N17 and the R35. Most of these crashes were because of pedestrians being hit by moving vehicles, which led to 41 fatalities from 185 crashes that were recorded.

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Other factors include head-on collisions, side-swipe collisions, loss of control by the driver while the vehicle is in motion, head and rear collisions, and dangerous overtaking.

The traffic law enforcement officers stopped 151 660 vehicles during various law enforcement operations conducted during the festive season. Nearly 44 000 of the stopped vehicles were heavy motor vehicles and were processed at various weighbridges.

More than 28 000 summonses were issued to motorists for various offences such as overtaking on a barrier line, traffic signal violations, excessive speeding, failure to display license disks, failure to wear safety belts and inconsiderate driving.

A further 727 vehicles were impounded for defects, and some were grossly overloaded

Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, said although there were reductions in fatalities and crashes, the number of people who died on the road is still too high.

He mentioned that the department, together with its stakeholders, will continue to improve road safety strategies. He said that the increased law enforcement visibility has also contributed towards improving the situation.

He thanked the law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly during the holiday season, saying they needed to continue with the same vigour even beyond the holiday season. He also praised all stakeholders, including the media, for their participation in government’s road safety initiatives.

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“You must continue to show no mercy to any errant driver behaviour so that more lives are saved on the road. We also appreciate the motorists who behaved well because was it not for them the situation could have been worse. We want every person to become active agents of road safety by not only using the road safely but by also reporting any bad driver behaviour,” Shongwe added.

The MEC believes that with harsher punishing of traffic offenders, a huge impact will be made in government’s road safety efforts. He therefore called on law enforcers at all levels to ensure that errant and reckless drivers are punished.