![Roadside checking](https://www.westerncape.gov.za/sites/www.westerncape.gov.za/files/roadside_checking_by_traffic_law_enforcement_officers_will_take_place_.jpg)
Traffic law enforcement officers at the Department of Transport and Public Works will offer vehicle fitness checks to public transport operators in the Western Cape on 2 April 2015, from 18:00 to 02:00, at Sonstraal near the Huguenot Tunnel and Joostenberg Vlakte.
These roadside checks form part of the Department’s Public Transport Compliance and Fatigue Management Sticker Project, which runs at least twice a year, during Easter and the December holiday season. These checks mainly target buses and minibus taxis.
Vehicles that have been tested and are in good order will receive a sticker that verifies the vehicles’ fitness at that time. This facilitates the work of traffic officers doing routine vehicle checks en route. The City of Cape Town will conduct similar vehicle tests at the Joe Gqabi Transport Interchange in Philippi on the day.
Traffic law enforcement officers will be present along the road to ensure that drivers do not:
Information such as the name of the driver and the date the vehicle was checked is recorded on the sticker and this provides vital clues for officers along the road. During this time, the Department’s Road Safety Management component will distribute various road safety pamphlets and disposable alcohol breath testers to motorists.
The Department urges motorists to plan their routes in advance to include stops at particular places along the way as well as to take a 10-minute break outside the vehicle every two hours when embarking on long trips.
There is no rule to say how far you should drive at any given time, but it is not worth risking your life, for any reason.
Through the project, the partners are showing their commitment to getting commuters safely to their destinations during the high traffic volume period of Easter.
Byron la Hoe
Communication Officer
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 9813
E-mail: Byron.laHoe@westerncape.gov.za
You can follow the Department of Transport and Public Works on Twitter: @WCGovTPW