The Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Jackie Macie, has urged motorists to practice cautious driving on the roads to enhance the safety of children.

This comes after recent statistics gathered by the provincial Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison showed that a high number of children, aged between five and 19, are victims of car accidents that resulted in death and serious injuries.

As the first term comes to an end, schoolchildren across the country will be going on holiday from Friday, March 28, Macie said that motorists should obey the rules and ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.

“As lot of families will be travelling to different destinations, drivers should be mindful of the wet weather conditions, follow the rules and plan their journey on time. We are pleading with transport owners and drivers to ensure that their cars and trailers are in a good condition to be on the road, and to not overload the trailers because they contribute to the cause in some crashes. Law enforcement officers will be on the lookout on the roads to ensure drivers who break the law face the repercussions,” he said.

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Macie said the launch of the provincial Easter Safety Campaign will be introduced soon, when he will also highlight the plans of the Easter long weekend. The campaign would also account to the 365 Days for Road Safety Plan of Action 2025.