Drivers in the Western Cape have been advised to drive safely and obey all traffic rules during the dangerous and wet winter period. This is the messages from the MEC of Transport and Public Works, Donald Grant.
“The Cape’s notorious winter season is well upon us, bringing with it wet and dangerous road conditions that have come to characterise this period. As we launch our operational plan, we are confident that, with the help and partnership of all road users and traffic law enforcement agencies, we will be able to ensure safe travel on our roads, as well as encourage increased compliance from all road users.” “Our operational plan will span 1st June 2014 till 31st August 2014, where we will be partnering with; the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Municipal Traffic Authorities; The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), SANRAL, and the RTMC; as well as our Provincial departments of Community Safety, Health, Agriculture and Education. Together, our collective efforts will be focussed on: • Driver fitness • Vehicle fitness • Safety and compliance • Seatbelt compliance • Alcohol and fatigue management • Visibility and moving violations • Dangerous road user behaviour • Speed enforcement • Load management • Safety awareness • Transportation of illegal substances The operational plan will consist of K78 roadblocks, vehicle check points, alcohol blitzes, and operations focussing on fatigue, speed, learner transport, public transport, and pedestrian safety. All of these will amount to close to 900 operations over the three month period.” Fatigue management“Our fatigue management initiative continues to yield very positive results through its focus on long distance public transport as well as private vehicles travelling long distances. Since the start of the project on 22 December 2011 on the N1 between Aberdeen, Beaufort West and Laingsburg, all public transport vehicles (later extending to private vehicles also travelling long distances) have been stopped between the hours of 20:00 – 06:00 every evening. To date, 46 023 vehicles have been stopped, with 3 203 of them parked due to the driver being fatigued.”
Speed enforcement “The following areas were identified as potential “hot spots” with regards to speeding: • N1 (Paarl – Brackenfell) • R27 (West Coast) • N2 • R60 (Robertson – Worcester) • N1 (Worcester – Touwsriver)) • N7 (Moorreesburg) • N2 (Knysna) • N2 (Caledon) • N2 (Mossel bay – Albertinia) Enforcement efforts will be targeted at these areas, with our successful Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) camera enforcement network already covering 351.1 kms of the province’s most dangerous roads; R61 from Beaufort West to Aberdeen, N1 from Beaufort West to Three Sisters, R27 West Coast, and the N1 from Beaufort West to Laingsburg, with future planned expansions along parts of the N2. We will be adopting a “no-nonsense” enforcement approach to this period, as we do during the busy festive and Easter periods. Road users must ensure that they are safe and exercise extreme caution during this time. They must refrain from dangerous behaviour like; drinking and driving; speeding, especially in wet and slippery road surfaces with decreased visibility; driving long distances without taking the necessary rest periods; and not being visible while walking on roads. Let us all continue to work together to ensure that we get Safely Home. Drivers and other road users are encouraged to call the Emergency Traffic Control Centre (021) 812 4581 to report bad driving.”
