Zero tolerance for traffic violations over the festive season

All law enforcement officers will be on duty during the festive season to ensure maximum visibility, according to Pat Ngomane, MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Corridor Gazette reports.

These officers have been ordered to ensure that overloaded and unroadworthy cars are stopped and pulled of the road.

Onderbergers may have already noticed an increase in these overloaded vehicles heading through the area and their number is expected to further increase as Christmas approaches.

According to Ngomane, excessive overloading and unroadworthy cars increase chances of deadly crashes, as drivers’ ability to bring vehicles to a stop in case of emergencies are compromised.

According to road regulations, vehicles travelling on a public road cannot carry goods projecting more than 1,25 metres  over the sides, 1,8 metres over the back and 30 centimetres over the front.

Motorists are urged to keep their vehicle and tyre load weight limits in mind as tyres can burst due to overloading and lead to accidents.

Ngomane also cited fatigue and driving under the influence of alcohol as factors contributing to road accidents and said it would receive special attention.

Motorists are reminded to stop every 200 kilometres or two hours and to rather pull over or find a hotel or guest house to stay in if they are tired.

Static road blocks will be implemented on major routes and block patrols will be conducted on other routes.

Other main focuses will be on moving violations such as dangerous overtaking, excessive speeding, using cellphones
while driving and disregarding traffic lights or stop signs.

Pedestrian safety campaigns and initiatives encouraging long-distance drivers to take a break at rest stops will also be launched.

Ngomane has urged law enforcement officers to ensure that transgressors face the consequences of law-breaking behaviour and not to give in to threats or take bribes.

“Motorists should be patient with each other because roads are shared spaces and traffic officers cannot be on every stretch of the road,” he said.

From this weekend, TRAC’s roadside assistance units, patrol teams and 24-hour helpdesk will be on duty in both South Africa and Mozambique in order to respond to accidents and other emergencies as quickly as possible.

Emergency services will also be deployed to Bronkhorstspruit, Middelburg, Milly’s Mbombela and the Matola Weighbridge in Mozambique on peak traffic days.

As usual, TRAC will also assist authorities at the Lebombo Border Post and distribute flyers with traffic control information.

The Lebombo and Ressano Garcia Border Posts will be operational 24 hours from December 13 to January 8.