President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched October Transport Month campaign.

Ramaphosa, together with Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula and the Gauteng provincial department also unveiled the Arrive Alive programme at the N3 Highway Southbound, Heidelberg Weighbridge.

The new programme will focus on improving road safety through a 365- day road safety agenda to transform road user behaviour.

Ramaphosa said road accidents cost the economy at least R147-billion a year.

“It is up to each of us not to drink and drive. Ever. There should be no need for families to plant crosses and place flowers along our sidewalks and roadsides,” said Ramaphosa.

The President also appealed to South Africans to rely more on public transport in order to reduce road carnage and traffic on the country’s roads.

Ramaphosa said to assist, government is building more bus rapid transit systems in major cities in order to meet the demand as millions of commuters grow.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says public transport needs to be made safer and more efficient.

“We intend to open a major social dialogue about funding our transport but it’s not enough, we need to expand that. We need to move people from the roads to rail must be efficient and safer.”

Ramaphosa urged motorists to be extra vigilant on the country’s roads, especially over the festive season.

He emphasised initiatives like transport month should be extended throughout the year: “To all of us as South Africans, let us take the 365 days much more seriously.”

The president said they will use the campaing to proclaim the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act, which he signed into law in August.