Twenty arrested for drinking and driving on Western Cape roads this weekend

A preliminary report from the Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services indicates that two road users died on the province’s roads over the weekend.

Provincial Traffic Officers arrested 20 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol on 22 and 23 July 2016.

Five were arrested in the Caledon service area;

• four in Mossel Bay, 
• two in Somerset West, 
• two in Knysna, 
• two in George, 
• two in Beaufort West, 
• one in Brackenfell, 
• one in Oudtshoorn, and
• one in Worcester.

Two other arrests were made in connection with excessive speed on the N7 in the Moorreesburg service area (150 km/h in an 80 km/h zone in the first case; and 126 km in an 80 km/h zone in the second case).

Breath testing was performed on 2 295 drivers at 26 alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province. The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Somerset West service area. At 1.39 mg of alcohol/ 1 000 ml of breath, this is five times the legal limit of 1.05 mg/ 1 000 ml.

A total of 4 251 vehicles were screened for speeding and 665 speeding offences were recorded. Fines in the amount of R305 750 were issued for a variety of reasons ranging from driver offences to vehicle fitness violations.

Highest speeds recorded

• 176 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N1 in the Brackenfell service area, 
• 168 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N7 in the Vredendal service area, 
• and 99 km/h in an 80 km/h on the N1 in the Worcester service area.

Weekend road fatalities

The prosecution of people accused of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol will become much quicker once evidentiary breath alcohol testing (EBAT) is reintroduced on 1 August 2016. 

Alcohol plays a causal role in a large proportion of fatal crashes in the Western Cape. Many motorists on the province’s roads continue to drink and drive despite repeated warnings by traffic authorities that alcohol and roads don’t mix. Drivers who continue to heedlessly risk their lives and the lives of other citizens, who destroy taxpayer-funded infrastructure, and who drag policing resources away from attending to other crimes are reminded that unlike blood alcohol testing, EBAT results are immediate. 
Help us to create booze-free roads.

The simple fact is that alcohol and roads don’t mix. By taking the decision not to drink and drive, and sharing your decision with your family and friends, you can influence the behaviour of others in a positive way.

Follow Safely Home’s July campaign on Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome under the hashtag #BoozeFreeRoads.