Traffic authorities from all nine provinces and the metros will run high impact road operations for the next three months in an effort to reduce deaths on the country’s roads.

“The National Road Safety Steering Committee has decided that the road safety operations that were implemented over the Easter period should be continued throughout the country with a special focus on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays,” said a statement released by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Department of Transport.

During the Easter period, fatalities on South Africa’s roads declined by 46 percent.

“Pay-day weekends and long weekends will experience stringent law enforcement operations and roadblocks to address drunken driving, speeding as well as reckless and negligent driving,” RTMC said on Monday.

The National Road Safety Steering Committee has recently reviewed road safety trends from the past five years.

“Trends indicated that the month of May has a high number of fatal crashes compared to April and June. This is because of the onset of winter which is associated with veld fires that affect visibility on the roads,” RTMC said.

During this period law enforcement will focus on reducing pedestrian fatalities as trends show that the highest number of road users who die on the roads are pedestrians.

KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape will see intensified law enforcement over the three months period because they contribute to 63 percent of all road fatalities in the country.

Hazardous routes

“Attention will be given to hazardous locations in the inner cities, towns, villages and township with special attention on the R101, R568, R25 in Limpopo. The R56, R58, and R61 in the Eastern Cape have been identified as dangerous,” RTMC said.

Hazardous routes in Gauteng have been identified as the R103, the N14, N3, N17, and R59.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the R618, the N2, N3 and the inner of the city of Durban will receive attention. Dangerous routes in Mpumalanga include the N17, N4, the R38, and D1398.

“Road users are warned to expect a high number of arrests and the impounding of vehicles as traffic authorities try to deal with all factors that contribute to fatalities on the roads.

“Un-roadworthy and unlicenced vehicles will be impounded and pedestrians will receive heavy penalties for crossing the roads at dangerous points,” the RTMC said.

Drivers have been advised to ensure that all passengers use seat belts. Those who fail to do this will incur fines for each passenger who is found to be flouting the rules. – SAnews.gov.za