Media Release by The Department of Transport and Public Works
The Safely Home theme for December is Alcohol and Roads Don’t Mix. This week, 52 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence. Twelve pedestrians were killed in crashes.
Consuming alcohol, even in small amounts, and then walking, cycling or driving is very dangerous. Crashes involving drivers and pedestrians under the influence are no accident.
Blood alcohol concentration tests on the bodies of people killed in road crashes show that, whether you are a pedestrian, cyclist or driver, your risk of dying in a road crash is higher if you have been drinking. Alcohol impairs processes critical to safe road use, such as vision and reaction time. It is also associated with poor judgement and is often linked to other high-risk road use behaviours such as speeding or not using seatbelts.
Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services implemented a total of 355 integrated roadblocks, vehicle check point and speed control operations across the province in the week of 5 to 11 December 2022, and 31 489 vehicles were stopped and checked. A total of 9 929 fines were issued for various traffic violations ranging from driver to vehicle fitness.
A total of 327 speeding offences were recorded. If you are a motorist, show consideration for pedestrians wherever they are. Pedestrians are almost always killed in collisions with vehicles travelling faster than 60km/ hour. Slowing down will give you more time to avoid to pedestrians in the road. If you are travelling more slowly and you collide with a pedestrian, the pedestrian is more likely to survive. Be particularly careful when you come across child pedestrians. They may behave unpredictably and may struggle to understand how quickly a vehicle is moving. Because children are short, in a collision, they are likely to be hit in the head and chest and are therefore more likely to be killed.
The highest speeds recorded this week were as follows:
- 165 km/h in a 120 km/h zone
- 134 km/h in a 100 km/h zone
- 119 km/h in an 80 km/h zone
- 104 km/h in a 60 km/h zone
Twenty-nine vehicles were impounded and 80 were discontinued for unroadworthiness.
National Road Traffic Act and Criminal Procedure Act
A total of 80 arrests were made for the following offences:
- 52 x driving under the influence of alcohol.
- 2 x speeding.
- 5 x reckless and negligent driving.
- 3 x goods overloading.
- 8 x possession of fraudulent documentation.
- 3 x bribery.
- 1 x undocumented person.
- 1 x failure to furnish information.
- 1 x un roadworthy vehicle.
- 1 x threatening/ suggesting use of violence against a traffic officer.
- 1 x obstructing or hindering an authorised officer in the execution of his/her duty.
- 1 x crimen injuria.
- 1 x no driving licence.
Fatalities recorded between 5 to 11 December 2022
A total of 22 crashes occurred in the reporting period, and 24 fatalities were recorded:
- 3 x drivers.
- 1 x cyclist.
- 2 x motorcyclists.
- 6 x passengers.
- 12 x pedestrians.
#BoozeFreeRoads. Alcohol and roads don’t mix.
Media enquiries
Jandre Bakker
Deputy Director: Departmental Communication
Department of Transport and Public Works