Preliminary statistics indicate that 200 people died in accidents on Gauteng roads during the 2022 festive season. Half of the fatalities involve pedestrians, Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson Sello Maremane revealed yesterday.

Maremane says that the Gauteng Traffic Police intensified deployment of officers along major routes yesterday.

Maremane says the intensified deployment is ‘to ensure the safety of road users as part of an Integrated Festive Season Law Enforcement Plan’ with the aim to reduce accidents and deaths.

“Gauteng province has in recent times experienced serious forms of dangerous driving especially during the Festive season.

“Three children lost their [on Saturday] in Salvokop following a reckless and negligent behaviour by a BMW driver who was allegedly spinning the car. In another incident, a pedestrian was hit by a VW polo on the R101 near Hammanskraal,” he says.

Maremane says it is concerning that pedestrians continue to make up such a high number of road fatalities.

He attributes the high mortality rate to pedestrians not wearing reflective gear at night, violation of traffic signals, distracted walking, distracted driving, using public roads whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs and jaywalking, amongst others.

To curb pedestrian related accidents and deaths, road safety practitioners will be deployed in built-up areas situated along the freeways and other roads identified as dangerous to enhance road user knowledge and to increase pedestrian compliance with road traffic rules and signs says Maremane.