As the festive season approaches the Department of Transport has coupled with law enforcement to keep citizens safe on the country’s roads.  

“The high number of road fatalities and injuries during the festive season and all-year round, remains a major concern for government. Young people between the ages of 20 and 34 constitute the majority of people who die on South African roads,” said the Transport Department.

To combat the scourge, government plans to deploy road officials in their numbers as well as place mobile testing stations at strategic points to test the roadworthiness of vehicles.

Drivers will also be tested for alcohol levels at all road safety law enforcement activations.

Clamping down on public transport

The department said it plans to implement a no-nonsense approach to public transport vehicles that are not roadworthy.

“Minibus vehicles and buses account for about 10 percent of motor vehicles that get involved in fatal crashes on South Africa roads. However, the death toll from these vehicles is often high because of the number of people that they carry,” said the department.

Number plates

Law enforcement officials will also clampdown on vehicles without number plates that use this tactic to evade speed detection.

“A trend has been noticed where number plates are removed from motor vehicles to evade speed detection,” said the department.

This is against the National Road Traffic Act regulation 35, which requires that number plates be affixed “in a manner that is not easily detachable” and “in such a manner that each letter and figure thereon is clearly legible”.