Speed Arrests and Deaths Decrease On Province’s Roads

On 20 October 2013, Transport and Public Works Minister, Robin Carlisle, launched the third phase of the Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) camera network system, now being extended to the R27 along the West Coast.

The project was initially implemented in October 2011 on a 71.6 km stretch of road (the longest camera network of its kind in the world) between Beaufort West and Aberdeen (R61), and then in December 2012 on the 31.7 km Three Sisters – Beaufort West to Laingsburg. Since the initial two implementations in October 2011 and December 2012 (covering a total of 103.3 km of the province’s most dangerous stretches of road), the project has seen a decrease in the number of deaths and drivers arrested for doing excessively high speeds.

How it Works

• The Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) system calculates the average speed of a vehicle from the time it passes the first camera until it passes the second camera.
• The average speed is then determined by the that it has taken a vehicle to travel from point A (where the first camera is located) to point B (where the second camera is located).
• Reaching point B in a time shorter than was is determined by the distance and the speed limit, means that the driver was speeding.

“We are very proud to add yet another weapon to our law enforcement arsenal. The third R27 phase of the project will see the ASOD coverage extended to 160.5 km of provincial road (Phase 3 totalling 57.2 km), which will no doubt continue to curb the deadly consequences of speeding on these stretches, and strengthen our continued battle to reduce the carnage on the road. The figures show that our efforts are working. Fatalities on the stretches covered by this system, have decreased from 86 in 2011, to 38 by the end of 2012, and 21 so far in 2013. We have achieved the fastest and most significant road death reduction in the world, a reduction of 28% since we started with Safely Home in 2009. However, we must and will do more to ensure that we reach our target of halving fatalities by December 2014,” said Minister Carlisle.

“The province has over 20 000 km of road that need effective enforcement. A major challenge has been the ill-discipline that exists among motorists on the road. At the end of 2012, enforcement statistics showed that vehicles driving below the speed limit of 120 km/h have risen from 61% to 74%, and conversely, those driving over the speed limit have gone down from 39% to 26%. This trend has continued and shows that motorists are in fact slowing down,” added Carlisle.

Some enforcement statistics:

“I would like to thank Safely Home, our roads team, the Director of Public Prosecutions, SANRAL, the City and all our partners for bringing this project to fruition and for all the fantastic work that they do. Our goal was never to make money from fines. Our primary concern has always been to ensure that motorists will arrive safely at their destinations, particularly when travelling long distances. We will be extending this network along the N1 and parts of the N2 in the near future. Roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, and slowing down is often the difference between life and death," added Carlisle.