Twenty-one arrested for drinking and driving this weekend | Western Cape Government

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Twenty-one arrested for drinking and driving this weekend

23 May 2016

A preliminary report from the Western Cape Department of Health’s Forensic Pathology Services indicates that five road users died on the province’s roads over the weekend.

Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services arrested 21 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol on 20 and 21 May 2016.

Five other arrests were made:

  • two in connection with false documentation in Swellendam,
  • one in connection with false documentation in Worcester,
  • one drunken pedestrian in Vredendal,
  • and one for excessive speed in Mossel Bay (154 km/h in a 100 km/h zone).

Breath testing was performed on 1 842 drivers at 26 alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province. The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Worcester service area. At 1.01 mg of alcohol/ 1 000 ml of breath, this is four times the legal limit of 0.24 mg/ 1 000 ml.

A total of 3 118 vehicles were screened for speeding and 804 speeding offences were recorded. Fines in the amount of R265 850 were issued for a variety of reasons ranging from driver offences to vehicle fitness violations.

The highest speeds recorded were:

  • 166 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N1 in the Brackenfell service area, 
  • 154 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N2 in the Mossel Bay service area, and
  • 99 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the N2 in the Somerset West service area.

Details of the road fatalities over the weekend follow:

Date Location of crash Fatalities
Friday, 20 May 2016 Villiersdorp 2 pedestrians
Friday, 20 May 2016 Somerset West 1 pedestrian
Sunday, 22 May 2016 Sir Lowry’s Pass 1 cyclist
Sunday, 22 May 2016 Joostenberg Vlakte 1 pedestrian

 

This is an appeal from the Department of Transport and Public Works: never use your cell phone while driving. Distracted driving can be fatal. As the United States National Road Safety Council points out, the ability of a person’s brain to process moving images decreases by 33% when he or she is on the phone. Drivers cannot respond quickly to what is happening on the road when they are distracted. This is true even if they are using a hands-free apparatus. Road crashes can result in serious injuries and death. No phone call or text message is so important that it is worth a human life.

Follow Safely Home on Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome under the hashtag #ItCanWait.

Media Enquiries: 

Kenny Africa
Provincial Traffic Chief
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 5114/ 7823
Cell: 084 562 4574
Email: Kenneth.Africa@westerncape.gov.za

Byron la Hoe
Communication Officer
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 9813
Cell: 079 281 8570
Email: byron.lahoe@westerncape.gov.za
 

You can follow the Department of Transport and Public Works on Twitter: @WCGovTPW