Behavioral change in road users is key in safe road usage
'Gauteng experiences mass exodus of vehicles along major routes.'
The Holiday Season is a period characterised by high traffic volumes, people commuting to different holiday destinations as well as transportation of goods from different point of origins to various destinations using different road transport modes says Sizakele Nkosi- Malobane, MEC for Community Safety in Gauteng.
Gauteng as the economic hub of the country, experiences mass exodus of vehicles along major routes to different parts of the country including SADC countries, particularly after industries and schools closure.
“During this festive period, certain places within urban areas such as taverns, pubs, restaurants, parks and many more others become breeding places of drunk drivers and criminal elements that contribute to a sharp deterioration in road traffic safety and an upsurge in crime related incidents.
Traffic accidents and road fatalities increase drastically, unbecoming behavior and attitude of road users contributes to the status core.
“Government intervenes by stepping up traffic law enforcement operations and increase visibility on all key routes in the province. Law enforcers apply zero tolerance through road side check points for both driver and vehicle fitness, with the three main traffic violations being driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, excessive speeding and reckless and negligent driving punishable with immediate arrest no fine.
“Any vehicles found to be un-roadworthy are impounded. Campaigns such as Arrive Alive are intensified during this period, but come the release of the road accident and fatalities statistics, the numbers continue to shock.
“Road safety awareness campaigns are conducted throughout the year with the aim of instilling and encouraging good or positive road usage. Proving to be a daunting task to the government and all parties concern is changing and sustaining good behavior on our roads,” said Malobane.
She added, “People tend to do the right thing only when they are watched. Simple practice such as fastening a seatbelt is difficult to adhere to, drivers’ only buckles up when they see traffic law enforcers and you ask yourself why should someone be under constant supervision for their own safety?
Everyone knows that it is wrong to get behind the steering wheel under the influence of alcohol, but people continue to do it anyway.”
According to Arrive Alive traffic accidents account for many injuries and deaths in South Africa, which has a huge economic cost on the country’s resources.
Many traffic collisions studies have confirmed an accident is normally preceded by traffic law violation /infringement. The primary causes of road traffic crashes can be attributed to the road user behavior, the vehicle fitness and the road environment. This as it may be if road users were to change their mindset Gauteng roads would be safer for all of us to use.
The consequences of bad road usage are far more costly, both individuals and the government.
According to reports the Road Accident Fund spends up to R1,5 billion a month covering victims of road accidents in South Africa.
These are funds that could be utilized for social transformation. If someone had decided to fasten that seatbelt, decided to be more observant and more tolerant on the road, they would have been alive today.
“Fatalities leave families traumatized and in some instances bread winners are lost. This festive season Gauteng Provincial Government will intensify focus on the roadworthiness of public transport and freight vehicles. This is crucial since an incident involving both usually results in high fatality numbers.
“Government and all stakeholders can employ plans and strategy, but if the road users don’t want to change behavior and attitude, the plans and strategies will yield little or no results at all. Lets’ all remember that our traffic law enforcers cannot be deployed at every corner our roads and make road safety everyone’s business.”
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