JRA explains responsibility and recovery process of damaged traffic lights
Accidents and vandalism have left traffic lights in Sandton damaged, but who's responsible for covering repair costs?
The streets of Sandton, and surrounding areas, have seen increased traffic congestion recently.
Some traffic lights, or robots, are out of order due to accidents that have caused serious damage to the infrastructure. Motorists have been observed treating these faulty lights like stop signs, often leading to frustrating bumper-to-bumper collisions.
The issue has left many wondering about who is responsible for paying for the repairs, or replacements, of these damaged traffic lights.
Also read: JRA faces R70m backlog as theft and vandalism cripple traffic lights
Sipho Nhlapo, acting head of mobility and freight at Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), provided clarity on the matter. According to Nhlapo, when a traffic light is damaged due to a motorist’s actions, whether through an accident or reckless driving, the repair costs fall to the City of Johannesburg’s insurance for its assets.
“JRA’s Traffic Signals Maintenance Depot is responsible for the repair of traffic lights, and the costs are covered by the city’s insurance for such eventualities.” However, he added that there’s a process for recovery. When a traffic light is damaged and the responsible motorist is identified, JRA submits a claim to the city’s insurer.
Nhlapo explained that the insurer follows a subrogation claim process, to recover the costs from the motorist or their insurance provider. But what happens if the motorist’s insurance is unwilling, or unable, to cover the damages?
“In such cases, the city’s insurer will cover the cost of repairs, but they will initiate a subrogation claim against the motorist to recover the costs.”
Also read: Not all crevices are potholes, JRA explains
He pointed out that the process of tracking and managing traffic light damage is made easier by JRA’s smart traffic management system, which logs all faults and damage. “Damage assessment typically takes less than 24 hours. The time it takes to repair or replace a damaged robot depends on resource availability.”
Nhlapo said JRA’s maintenance system includes remote monitoring for 80% of its traffic signals. “The agency aims to address accident-related damage within 30 days, but challenges such as power outages, vandalism, and theft may cause delays. We are also seeing issues with power utility companies facing similar problems, with theft affecting the traffic signal infrastructure.”
Nhlapo elaborated that to minimise damage, JRA is investigating redesigning layouts where traffic signal poles are frequently knocked down. Additional measures are being taken to prevent theft and vandalism by installing more secure cabinets and using less copper in cables.
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Related article: JMPD launches major operation to ease traffic in Sandton and surrounds
