The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has urged motorists to use year-end bonuses and Stokvel payouts to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and properly licensed ahead of the festive season.

With many families preparing to travel long distances, the RTMC warned that poor vehicle condition remains a major contributor to road crashes.

“With the festive season fast approaching, many people are finalising their travel plans. It is important to ensure that vehicles are in good condition before hitting the road,” the RTMC said.

Motorists are encouraged to fix defects that may have been ignored during the year, including worn or unroadworthy tyres, cracked windscreens, faulty brakes and lights, as well as worn wiper blades.

“These are safety-critical components, especially for motorists travelling in rainy and wet summer conditions,” the RTMC said.

According to the corporation, vehicle-related factors contributed 6.9% of all fatal crashes during last year’s festive season. Of these, 65.7% were linked to tyre bursts, while faulty brakes accounted for 11.4%. Headlights not switched on, resulting in poor visibility, contributed 9.5% to fatal crashes.

Motorists were also reminded to check the validity of their vehicle license discs and renew them before travelling.

RTMC records show that more than 1 million vehicle licenses expired at the end of November. Gauteng recorded the highest number, with 416 828 licenses due for renewal, followed by the Western Cape with 197 797 and KwaZulu-Natal with 143 293.

Other provinces with licenses due for renewal include Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

The RTMC warned that driving with an expired license disc can result in late renewal penalties of 10% of the annual fee for each month overdue, fines, and possible vehicle impoundment.

Motorists are urged to comply with road traffic regulations to ensure a safer festive season for all road users.