DEAR Editor,-
As we mark the close of South Africa’s ‘Transport Month’ of October, it is deeply saddening to note that we still have some of the worst road traffic fatality and injury rates in the world.
This not only impacts on a social level, with families affected in a profound manner, it also impacts on SA’s economy and places strain on our already overburdened health system.
The recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety ranked SA 23rd out of the 50 African countries surveyed. In terms of the Medical Research Council statistics, more than 18 000 South Africans are killed and a staggering 150 000 severely injured annually on our roads.
A recent Road Traffic Management Corporation road fatality report also showed that there are 43 deaths per 100 000 South Africans annually. Meanwhile, the WHO survey for the UK is six deaths per 100 000, in Australia the figure is eight per 100 000 and in the USA it is 14 per 100 000.
Of equal concern is yet another report by WHO which identified road crashes as the main cause of death amongst young South Africans aged between five and 29 years. This suggests that the very future of our country is at stake.
This is supported by the increasing number of crashes involving pupils who are being transported to and from school on the backs of bakkies, a matter which demands urgent attention.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research estimates that road crashes cost SA approximately R309-billion annually, while the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety estimated that 7.8 percent of our country’s GDP is lost due to road traffic accidents.
This is revenue that could be used to address other pressing social issues, such as the recent lack of funding for tertiary education, which has resulted in ongoing student protests that have become progressively more violent.
And so, the question must be: What are the causes and contributing factors behind our country’s excessively high accident rate?
Firstly, we need to correct the terminology and stop using the term ‘accidents’ and instead use the word ‘crashes’ as recommended by the United Nations. The term ‘accident’ suggests an incident or event which may not have been envisaged or was unintended; whereas these so-called accidents happen for reasons which could mostly have been avoided with due precaution and adherence to rules of the road. This means that someone is responsible and must be held accountable.
This leads us to the causes of road crashes: Unsafe roads, poor traffic law enforcement, speeding, aggressive driving, texting or talking on cellphones whilst driving, and vehicles that are not roadworthy.
However, the number one reason for road fatalities remains alcohol abuse by drivers and pedestrians. There can be no denying that strict measures are needed to reduce the high crash and fatality rates on our roads.
One of these is an intensified traffic awareness campaign. Current measures, including the distribution of leaflets at toll plazas during peak holiday season, have proved grossly ineffective. Awareness campaigns need to run throughout the year, not just during holidays.
The DOE also has a critical role to play and must make the study of traffic rules and regulations an integral part of school curriculums at both primary and secondary levels. This will orientate young people to respect traffic laws even before obtaining driving licences.
There also needs to be a drastic increase in random alcohol testing throughout the year and not only during holiday seasons. Drivers must be tested for drug or alcohol abuse at every crash scene, meaning that all SAPS and traffic police officers must have breathalyser screening equipment in their vehicles.
Traffic officers need to be visible round the clock, working in shifts, and not only during the day, given that most crashes occur at night and at weekends.
Special courts must be established to deal with offenders found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, so that their cases are speedily processed and finalised within a month of the incident. Again, this must be implemented throughout the year. There must also be stiffer sentences for cases of ‘Driving Under the Influence’ (DUI), including the suspension of driver licences, mandatory treatment and counselling, increased fines and jail terms.
Texting and talking on cellphones whilst driving must be treated in the same category as drunk driving, as both divert and impair mental capacities of drivers to concentrate on the road.
In order for all of these recommendations to be put in place, the transport department needs to work closely with the Department of Justice.
But, perhaps even more important is that the department needs a functional and efficient Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), committed to enforcing the law without fear or favour. The ongoing shenanigans within KZN’s own RTI leave much to be desired.
Without effective traffic law enforcement, our laws are meaningless. Swift prosecution, more stringent and appropriate punishment and fines would go a long way to arresting the current situation dramatically.
RAFEEK SHAH, MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport
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