Statement by Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works
Safely Home, the Western Cape Government’s road safety programme, released a new Crash Witness video, in partnership with Sanral and the City of Cape Town.
This video is the fifth instalment of Safely Home’s viral online campaign, Crash Witness, which has focused on speeding and pedestrian safety.
Crash Witness was launched in 2011, with the footage receiving more than 400 000 views online.
The videos illustrate the real and horrific effects which speed, drink driving, irresponsible road use by pedestrians, and not wearing a seatbelt on our roads.
The latest video is a co-production of the Department of Transport and Public Works and the Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health.
In line with Safely Home’s Transport Month theme of child road safety, EMS technicians discuss clearing up after child pedestrians have been run over. The video also features real CCTV footage of pedestrian knockdowns, and is part of a new Crash Witness series focused on first responders, the people who are cleaning up the mess left by reckless road users.
We simply cannot ignore the very serious message conveyed by this video. Turning a blind eye to the dangers faced by our children, as a result of reckless and irresponsible road use will invariably mean that more and more children will die senselessly on our roads. We will continue to employ all of our efforts to counter this scourge and save the lives of those most vulnerable.
The video is available on the Safely Home website.
For more information on Safely Home’s Child Safety focus for the month of October, visit the website or follow the campaign on Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome, under the hashtag #SafeRoadsSafeKids.
Siphesihle Dube
Spokesperson for Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 8954
Cell: 084 233 3811
E-mail: siphesihle.dube@westerncape.gov.za